Collection is open for research but negatives and audiovisuial materials are stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Some papers of living persons are restricted. Access to restricted portions may be arranged by request to the donor. Gloves required for unprotected photographs. Viewing film portions of the collection and listening to LP recording requires special appointment. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
Collection Rights:
The Archives Center does not own exclusive rights to these materials. Copyright for all materials is retained by the donor, Franklin A. Robinson, Jr.; permission for commercial use and/or publication may be requested from the donor through the Archives Center. Military Records for Franklin A. Robinson (b. 1932) and correspondence from Richard I. Damalouji (1961-2014) are restricted; written permission is needed to research these files. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Collection Citation:
The Robinson and Via Family Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Sponsor:
Preservation of the 8mm films in this collection was made possible, in part, by a grant from the National Film Preservation Fund.
Collection is open for research but negatives and audiovisuial materials are stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Some papers of living persons are restricted. Access to restricted portions may be arranged by request to the donor. Gloves required for unprotected photographs. Viewing film portions of the collection and listening to LP recording requires special appointment. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
Collection Rights:
The Archives Center does not own exclusive rights to these materials. Copyright for all materials is retained by the donor, Franklin A. Robinson, Jr.; permission for commercial use and/or publication may be requested from the donor through the Archives Center. Military Records for Franklin A. Robinson (b. 1932) and correspondence from Richard I. Damalouji (1961-2014) are restricted; written permission is needed to research these files. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Collection Citation:
The Robinson and Via Family Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Sponsor:
Preservation of the 8mm films in this collection was made possible, in part, by a grant from the National Film Preservation Fund.
United States of America -- Washington -- King County -- Seattle
Scope and Contents:
The folders include work sheets, narrative history by Mrs. Corydon (Eulalie) Wagner and copies of articles.
Reproduction Note:
Two slides copied from Washington State Historical Society collections, Tacoma, Washington; four from Mrs. Corydon Wagner collection; two from Treasury of American Gardens; one from The American Woman's Garden; and three from unknown sources. One photoprint is copy of original 1928 photoprint.
General:
According to Mrs. Corydon (Eulalie) Wagner, the one acre, European-style garden, was seen at its best when seen from above. A city garden enclosed by high cement walls, it consisted of formal pathways of white pebbles; eight flower beds outlined with dwarf box; and a round pool surrounded by a square qrass bed and parterres. The beds displayed various color schemes of tulips, followed by a "Mille Fleur" perennial garden in the summer. Tea roses were added during the 1920s. After the death of Mrs. Merrill in the 1930s, the family opened the house for charitable organizations, particularly those in which she took an active part. During World War II, Victory Garden vegetables filled in where lilies and holly-hocks grew. The perennial borders were slightly transformed by using annuals, and after the bay trees died in the wooden boxes, they were replaced with tree-tiered topiaries of Ficus. During the 1960s, the Merrill family visited Versailles and its box borders. In order to eliminate the upkeep of the "Mille Fleur" summer garden, Thomas Church designed a box parterre, a miniature version of those at Villandry--eliminating much of Shipman's perennial borders. Kevin Harvey currently plants strongly-shaped and colored perennials into the gravel beds to add year-round interest.
Persons associated with the garden include: Richard Dwight Merrill (former owner, 1910-1964); Eulalie Wagner (former owner, ?-1991); The Merrill Foundation (owners of 1/2 the original property); Charles A. Platt (architect, landscape designer, 1910); Ellen Biddle Shipman (landscape architect, 1915); Thomas Dolliver Church (landscape architect, 1960s); and Kevin Harvey (gardener and designer, 2004).
Related Materials:
The Merrill House related holdings consist of 1 folder (12 35 mm. slides and 4 photoprints)
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Topic:
Gardens -- Washington (State) -- Seattle Search this
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
Sponsor:
A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.
United States of America -- Wisconsin -- Sheboygan County -- Sheboygan Falls
Scope and Contents:
The folder includes worksheets, photocopies of articles, and other information.
General:
Commissioned by the parents of the present owner, Homewood is truly a family home. It was built in 1937 from an architectural design modeled after the original Homewood at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, built by Charles Carroll in 1801. The architectural plan was featured in the 1939 New York World's Fair as a model home featuring a modern take on the classic Colonial design customized to meet the needs of the average American family. The home was designated as a historic landmark of Sheboygan County in 1983 and was surveyed for the Historic Preservation Division of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin.
The vegetable gardens of Homewood date back to the World War II victory garden that the present owner helped to maintain as a child. The gardens have since evolved to address issues of pest control, shade, and to increase produce yield by incorporating raised beds, lattice supports, and additional fencing to help alleviate some the challenges of growing a large vegetable garden. The gardens in their current form were established beginning in 1990, when the present owners renovated the family home.
The main vegetable plot features protective plantings of cedar trees and bittersweet vine, a raspberry patch, and a revolving assortment of vegetable beds which include plantings of greens and lettuce mixes, beans, herbs, tomatoes, and peppers, to name a few, as well as perennials such as rhubarb and asparagus. An additional kitchen garden is located close to the house, where herbs, lettuces, and tomatoes are grown. The abundant vegetable plantings yield enough produce for sharing with friends and neighbors, and canning, freezing, pickling and storage of the crops allows the harvest to last throughout the year.
A sixteen foot long arbor serves as the entrance to the main fenced and gated vegetable garden. Clematis, grapevine, and climbing roses grow on the arbor, which features a crushed limestone path and a bench to provide seating. Additional features on the property include two native prairie areas, a native tree and shrub nursery, and a steep embankment on the back of the property includes maple, oak and ash trees and a wetland abutting an adjoining river.
Persons associated with the garden include: Dr. Horace J. Hansen and Mrs. Elizabeth Hansen (former owners, 1937-1992); and Dwight James Baum (architect, 1937).
Related Materials:
Homewood related holdings consist of 1 folder (20 35 mm slides (photographs); 17 digital images; and 20 photographic prints (reference))
Additional material regarding the property is located in the Sheboygan County Historical Research Center, Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin.
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Topic:
Gardens -- Wisconsin -- Sheboygan Falls Search this
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
Sponsor:
A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.
The folder contains a work sheet; site plans; six books of garden diary information and magazine and newspaper publication copies; and dvd.
General:
The purpose of this garden was to create an oasis of serene beauty, incorporating four outdoor rooms that offer hospitality and peace. The "Cottage Garden" at the front of the house includes a walk through the woods. In spring, layers of white "cloud nine" dogwood make a display with tulips, azaleas and wild mountain laurel. This garden also shows bright colors in summer and autumn. The second room, called the "Natural Springs Garden" reveals a Japanese-style garden with koi ponds and a waterfall. A Japanese teahouse serves as the focal point of the space. The "Oak Lawn Garden," the third room, consists of memorabilia, such as a blue glass bottle tree, stone carved angels, and a Portuguese roundel, from the owner's former home in the Oak Lawn area of Dallas. "The Back Yard" garden receives the most sun of all the outdoor rooms. Five foot azalea borders hide the compost area. Most of the 900 square feet of The Back Yard garden is grassed on two levels with a symmetrically spreading native pecan tree holding a high hung double porch swing.
People associated with this property include: Ferne and Arthur Koch (former owners, early 1960s-1971); and Rosa Finsley (landscape designer, 1971-present).
Related Materials:
Gibson Garden related holdings consist of 1 folder (18 35 mm. slides)
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
Sponsor:
A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.
United States of America -- Virginia -- Albemarle -- Charlottesville
Scope and Contents:
1 folder and 16 digital images. The folder includes worksheets and a copy of an article.
General:
Located on two acres, this property has been owned and gardened by members of the same family since 1940, and consists of a series of all season garden rooms each with it's own unique purpose. At first Scotch broom had to be dug up, the farmland had to be improved, paths were laid, and periwinkle dug from the woods was planted as ground cover. There were few trees - a sweet gum tree was planted for quick shade - and a Victory Garden and fruit orchard were planted during World War II. The house, designed by architect Marshall Swain Wells in 1939, was apttered after a dependeny at the Colonial Williamsburg Palace. In 2005 landscape architect Charles J. Stick designed a formal entry garden paved in brick with four boxwood parterres surrounding white crape myrtles. Belgian landscape architect Francọis Goffinet designed an English style cottage garden that spans the front of the center of the house, filling beds with continuous summer blooms, with arched gateways at either end smothered in roses. Behind the house Stick replaced overgrown boxwood that defined mid-century garden rooms with a flagstone terrace. Goffinet also designed a formal allée of four boxwood-edged beds filled with flowering perennials and shrubs that terminates in a grove of crape myrtle.
The kitchen garden, also formal, has four smaller parterres growing herbs with espaliered apple trees as wall on one side. The chapel walk passes a dog cemetery that has stone benches and markers, leading to a stone chapel modeled on a gazebo at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. A meditation garden at one end of the cottage garden has a low stone wall, white sand floor, and a large espaliered camellia. The white garden was redesigned in 2017, pruning back 75-year-old boxwood and adding white peonies and ephemeral bulbs. A log cabin built circa 1830 was relocated to this property, placed so the porch faces west for viewing sunsets over the Blue Ridge Mountains. Paths through the wooded areas lead to the pollinator garden for bees and butterflies, the birch walk inspired by groves seen in England, a secret garden, and a cabin walk and cabin garden. The periwinkle outside the cabin had succumbed to fungal disease so a dry stream, stone wall, and plantings including dwarf Japanese maples, dogwood, hellebores, astilbe, ferns and hosta comprise a newer garden room. More natives including wildflowers have been planted along the original winding paths and in woodlands.
Persons associated with the garden include Birney and Irene Sims (former owners, 1938-1973); Marshall Swain Wells (architect, 1939); M. Jack Rinehart, Jr. (architect, 1991, 2005); Francọis Goffinet (landscape architect, 1993); Charles J. Stick (landscape architect, 2006); C. Colston Burrell (horticulturist, 1991-2017); Leslie Harris (horticulturist, 1991-2017); Donna Ernest (gardener, 1991-2017).
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Topic:
Gardens -- Virginia -- Charlottesville Search this
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
Sponsor:
A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.
United States of America -- Texas -- Houston -- Houston
Gregory Lincoln Education Center (Houston, Texas)
Scope and Contents:
16 digital images (2015-2017) and 1 file folder.
General:
Gregory-Lincoln Education Center is a fine arts magnet pre-K through 8th grade school on a 15- acre campus with many low-income and food-insecure students. In the 2011-2012 school year 14 raised gardens beds for vegetables, berries and herbs were installed and planted; the curriculum is called the Cultivated Classroom. Students grow organic food that they prepare and eat while learning about sustainability, science, math, reading, social studies and nutrition. Staple crops include squashes, tomatoes, cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage and cauliflower, berries, lettuces, beans and okra, some flowers and herbs. Other vegetables are planted each year on a trial basis. The initial garden has been expanded to include four more raised beds, 20 fruit trees, a chicken coop called The Chick-Inn, a grape arbor at the entrance, and a pollinator garden. The lay-out includes a reading circle, tool shed, compost center, picnic tables, a wash station and benches. Learning about healthy eating is an important aspect of the program, including acquiring food preparation skills for a lifetime, and cooking and learning about careers in the food industry at a nearby restaurant. Helpers in the garden include school staff, Urban Harvest employees, parents, and neighborhood volunteers who participate in a monthly "dig-it" day of weeding, mulching, and additional planting. The Garden Club of Houston supports this program through financial contributions to Urban Harvest, a non-profit that promotes community gardens.
Persons associated with the garden include: Houston Independent School District (owners, 1966- ); Urban Harvest (sponsor, 2011- ); Kellie Karavias (culinary arts teacher, 2011- ); Carol Burton (Urban Harvest coordinator, 2011- ) Names (role and dates of ownership/involvement). Example: Metropolitan District Commission (playground, Victory Garden, 1953- ); City of Cambridge (Morse School, 1953- ); Carl Koch (1912-1998) (architect, 1955); Design Partnership of Cambridge (renovation architects, 1999); Jane Hirschi, Director of City Sprouts (non-profit assisting in creating and maintaining school garden, 2001- ); Patricia Beggy (Morse school principal, 2004- ); Juliet and György Kepes (enamel panels artists, 1957); Tomie Arai (silk-screened mural artist, 1999).
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
Sponsor:
A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.
The W. Atlee Burpee & Company records, dated circa 1873-1986, document the firm's business activities developing plant varieties, working with contract seedsmen, and marketing and selling seeds. They include seed trial records, seed contracts, sales and acccounting records, inventories, office correspondence, seed catalogs, promotional and instructional materials, advertisements and advertising reports, contest letters, daybooks, photographs, reference materials, and other items relating to the company and some of its competitors. The collection also includes Burpee family papers.
Content Description:
This collection documents W. Atlee Burpee & Co., a mail-order seed company based in Philadelphia, from its early beginnings in 1876 when its founder, W. Atlee Burpee, started in the agricultural business, to the 1970s when his son, David Burpee, sold the firm. The collection also includes personal papers of the Burpee family dating back to the mid-nineteenth century.
Business-related content in the collection consists of crop propagation and management records; company correspondence; administrative and personnel records; advertising files; legal papers; property records and plans; reports, studies, and technical data; notes and drafts; files on professional outreach activities and events; trade literature (published by both the Burpee company and a number of its competitors); and awards and certificates received by the company. Significant topics documented in these files include the development of notable flower and vegetable varieties introduced by the company; the impact of World Wars I and II on gardening and the global seed trade; advertising strategies, technology, and innovation; and David Burpee's advocacy of the marigold as the national floral emblem of the United States.
The Burpee family papers consist of personal files unrelated to the company's business operations. These include records generated by W. Atlee's father (David Burpee, 1827-1882) and grandfather (Washington L. Atlee, 1808-1878), as well as W. Atlee's wife, Blanche (1863-1948); David Burpee (1893-1980) and his wife, Lois (1912-1984); and W. Atlee Burpee II (1894-1966). There are genealogical surveys conducted on both the Atlee and Burpee families as well as clippings about family members. W. Atlee and David Burpee's series are the most extensive, and cover their involvement with numerous social and philanthropic clubs and organizations. The series include personal correspondence; financial, accounting, and tax records; travel-related files; reference material; and will and estate papers.
The Burpee collection also has a large number of images related to the Burpee business and family in a variety of formats including photographs, film and glass plate negatives, and advertisement mock-ups. Other formats include architectural and site plans, original artwork for advertisements, films, cassettes, audio tapes, and ephemera.
Arrangement:
Collection is arranged into six series:
Series 1: Plant/Farm Related Material
Series 2: Business Records
Series 3: Material Published About the Burpee Company
Series 4: Awards and Certificates
Series 5: Photographic and A/V Materials
Series 6: Burpee Family Papers
The collection's original order was maintained wherever possible, though many records were found scattered throughout the collection and artificial files were necessarily created for them.
Most files are arranged chronologically or alphabetically by person or topic.
Various photographs interspersed in correspondence files were kept where they were originally found. All other photographic and audio/visual materials found on their own were grouped in Series 5 Photographic and A/V Material which documents aspects of both the Burpee company and Burpee family.
Biographical / Historical:
Washington Atlee Burpee (1858-1915) began a mail-order poultry and livestock business in 1876 in Philadelphia, which he soon expanded to include corn seed for chicken feed. In 1878, he founded W. Atlee Burpee & Co. to sell livestock and vegetable, fruit, and flower seeds through the mail. His company went on to become one of the most notable seed distributors in the world.
In 1888, W. Atlee bought a tract of land named Fordhook Farms in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. It was initially established as an experimental farm to test and evaluate new varieties of vegetables and flowers and to produce seeds for the mail-order market. Burpee spent many summers traveling throughout the United States and Europe visiting farms and searching for the best flowers and vegetables. Certain plants he found were shipped back to the firm for testing and propagation; other seeds were obtained through contracts with growers throughout the U.S., a practice common in the seed industry at that time. Promising varieties were bred with healthier specimens to produce hardier hybrids that were more resistant to disease. Other Burpee trial grounds were later established at Sunnybrook Farm near Swedesboro, New Jersey, and at Floradale Farms in Lompoc, California (1909/1910). The company went on to purchase more land for farming in California, and established sales branch headquarters in Sanford, Florida (circa 1930s), Clinton, Iowa (1942), and Riverside, California (1949).
W. Atlee Burpee married Blanche Simons (1863-1948) in 1892. They had three sons: David (1893-1980); W. Atlee Jr. ("Junior") (1894-1966); and Stuart Alexander (1901-1934). Both David and Junior attended the Blight School in Philadelphia for elementary school and Culver Military Academy in Culver, Indiana for preparatory school. While they both attended Cornell University as undergraduates, they left before graduating due to W. Atlee's poor health. Junior married Jeanetta Lee (1893-1981) in November, 1916, and they had two children: W. Atlee III (1917-1971) and Jeanette (1919-2002). David married Lois Torrance (1912-1984) in 1938, and they had two children: Johnathan (b. 1941) and Blanche (b. 1943). Stuart Alexander was apparently born with a disability; according to census records he worked on farms during his lifetime.
David Burpee took over the family business upon his father's death in 1915; W. Atlee Burpee, Jr. served as treasurer of the firm once he returned from serving in the military. At that time, the Burpee company had 300 employees and was the largest mail-order seed company in the world. It distributed over one million catalogs a year and received on average 10,000 orders a day. Under David's tutelage, the company adapted to contemporaneous shifts in business and advertising methods, advancements in plant science, ever-changing consumer demands, and two World Wars. In response to food shortages experienced during World War I, the Burpee company helped promote a "war gardens" campaign that evolved into a "victory gardens" campaign during World War II.
Both W. Atlee and David used their position as head of a major seed house to lobby congressional debates in regard to two topics: postage rates (W. Atlee) and the designation of a national floral emblem for the United States (David). Both men belonged to The Union League of Philadelphia and The Canadian Society of Philadelphia (which W. Atlee helped found), and served on the boards of directors for hospitals and other charitable organizations. Both father and son were politically aligned with the Republican Party.
The firm reorganized its governing structure in 1917 at which time it changed its name from W. Atlee Burpee & Co. to W. Atlee Burpee Co. Burpee's acquired three seed companies between 1878 and 1970: Luther Burbank Seed Company, James Vick's Seeds, Inc., and the William Henry Maule Company. David Burpee sold the company to the General Foods Corporation in 1970 and served as a consultant for the business until 1973. The Burpee brand was bought by its current owner, George J. Ball, Inc., in 1991.
General:
The project to arrange and rehouse the W. Atlee Burpee & Co. Records received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care and Preservation Fund, administered by the National Collections Program and the Smithsonian Collections Advisory Committee.
The project to digitize select Burpee records affected by water damage and mold received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care and Preservation Fund, administered by the National Collections Program and the Smithsonian Collections Advisory Committee.
Related Materials:
Burpee seed catalogs donated to the Smithsonian in 1982 by the W. Atlee Burpee Co. can be found in the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives' Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History.
The Farm Security Administration - Office of War Information Photograph Collection in the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division includes a series of images of Burpee company operations taken in 1943.
The Black Gold Cooperative Library System's Asian/Pacific - Americans on the Central Coast Collection includes images dated 1933-1939 of Japanese employees of the Burpee Co. working at Floradale Farms in Lompoc, California.
Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
United States of America -- Connecticut -- Fairfield County -- Greenwich
Live Oak (Greenwich, Connecticut)
Date:
1935
General:
In 1925, Clark Williams commissioned Ellen Biddle Shipman to design the landscape for his estate, called Live Oak, in the Belle Haven section of Greenwich, Connecticut. Shipman often used a tiered landscape scheme which featured a pool visible from upper terraces and the house. The water feature was the centerpiece of this garden, reached by a garden walk paved with slabs of flagstone that surrounded the rectangle pool, which was ornamented with a small-scale Louis Saint-Gaudens sculpture of "Piping Pan" spilling streams of water from the two horns he plays. The use of a water feature offered sound, movement, and quality of light which she further expressed with the romantic treatment of her water plantings. Typical of the Shipman style, the areas beyond were screened from view by a heavily planted mix of plants creating contrasts of shape, height, color, and texture. The light and shadows produced from the green shrubbery was also used to increase the beauty of the space and the impact of the blooms. During the Great Depression, Mr. and Mrs. Williams contributed land to the town's community garden. Inspired by the victory gardens of the war effort, Live Oak together with 20 other estates and overseen by a town committee and assisted by the Westchester-Fairfield Horticultural Society, grew vegetables distributed to families in need.
Persons Associated: Mr. and Mrs. Clark Williams (former owners); Ellen Biddle Shipman (landscape architect, 1930); Mr. Mair (gardener); Louis Saint-Gaudens (sculptor).
Related Materials:
Cornell University, Ellen Shipman Papers, Ithaca, New York.
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
United States of America -- Pennsylvania -- Chester County -- West Chester
Scope and Contents:
The folder includes plans, drawings, articles, garden description and information sheet.
General:
"Spreading over 2 1/2 acres, this is a naturalistic stroll garden where planting areas blend easily into each other. Terraced perennial beds are a profusion of poppies, peonies, iris, phlox, rudbeckias, verbascums, daylilies, asters and grasses, all of which in their seasons flow into and around a three-tiered vegetable garden."
"Native plants, magnolias, rhododendrons, flowering trees and shrubs highlight a profusion of plantings in island beds. Woodland walks cut through carpets of spring flowers, while in summer winding paths meander through a colorful wildflower meadow."
"The angular lines of the house are softened with gently curving beds and specimen plants. The entire garden is effectively "contained" by a green screen of shrubs, conifers and small flowering trees. Frog, toad and grasshopper sculptures add a whimsical note."
Persons associated with the property include: William H. Frederick, Jr. (landscape architect, 1990); Andre Harvey (sculptor); Eric Berg (sculptor); Lois Hannah (sculptor); William Allen (sculptor); and Kit Schweitzer (sculptor).
Related Materials:
Frogmore related holdings consist of 1 folder (11 35 mm. slides)
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Topic:
Gardens -- Pennsylvania -- West Chester Search this
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
Sponsor:
A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.
United States of America -- New Jersey -- Burlington County -- Moorestown
Scope and Contents:
The folder includes worksheets, site plans, and additional information.
General:
Located on less than an acre, Century Garden was once a part of Pinehurst Estate. A historical plaque placed on the property by the Historical Society of Moorestown indicates the oldest portion of Pinehurst Estate dates back to 1849. The home on Century Garden property was a tenant house for the estate and has now been in the same family for three generations. The property has been divided into sections for landscaping and each section has gone through different uses. During World War II, a victory garden was planted to the rear of the house. The entire yard was always used for children's imaginative play and games.
Today the garden features two patios separated by a serpentine stone path, a small tree shaded room, a circular flower bed bordered by a stone path, a small bowl shaped pond with surrounding ivy covered brick walls that was rescued from a property being demolished nearby and three arbors. Other features include: benches, birdbaths, trails, a tool shed and plant containers.
There are very old plantings on the property including a silver maple, holly, wisteria, hydrangeas, peonies, forsythia, azaleas, mock orange, wegelia and privet hedge. Also, many grasses and perennials and wildflowers have been planted in recent years.
Previous owners of the property are: Samuel and Rebecca Hinchman (1849-1862), Michael Dubel (1862), Edward and Esther Strawbridge (pre-1903), Bartholomew J. and Carrie F. Sutton (post-1903), Anna S. Froelicher (pre-2005)
Related Materials:
Century Garden related holdings consist of 1 folder (8 35 mm. slides (photographs) and 4 photographic prints)
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
Sponsor:
A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.
The W. Atlee Burpee & Company records, dated circa 1873-1986, document the firm's business activities developing plant varieties and marketing and selling seeds. They include accounting records, seed trial records, seed contracts, sales records, inventories, office correspondence, seed catalogs, promotional and instructional materials, advertisements and advertising reports, contest letters, daybooks, photographs, reference materials, and other items relating to the company and some of its competitors.
Scope and Contents:
This collection documents W. Atlee Burpee & Co., a mail-order seed company based in Philadelphia, from its early beginnings in 1876 when its founder, W. Atlee Burpee, started in the agricultural business, to the 1970s when his son, David Burpee, sold the family's then-global company. The collection also includes personal papers of the Burpee family dating back to the mid-nineteenth century.
Business-related content in the collection consists of crop propagation and management records; company correspondence; administrative and personnel records; advertising files; legal papers; property records and plans; reports, studies, and technical data; notes and drafts; files on professional outreach activities and events; trade literature (published by both the Burpee company and a number of its competitors); and awards and certificates received by the company. Significant topics documented in these files include the development of notable flower and vegetable novelties introduced by the company; the impact of World Wars I and II on gardening and the global seed trade; advertising strategies, technology, and innovation; and David Burpee's involvement in the national floral emblem congressional debate.
The Burpee family papers consist of personal files unrelated to the company's business operations. This includes records generated by W. Atlee's father (David Burpee, 1827-1882) and grandfather (Washington L. Atlee, 1808-1878), as well as W. Atlee's wife, Blanche (1863-1948); David Burpee (1893-1980) and his wife, Lois (1912-1984); and W. Atlee Burpee II (1894-1966). There are genealogical surveys conducted on both the Atlee and Burpee families as well as clippings about family members. W. Atlee and David Burpee's series are the most extensive and cover their involvement with numerous clubs and societies such as the Canadian Society of Philadelphia, the Union League of Philadelphia, and, for David Burpee, his involvement with Pearl S. Buck's Welcome House charity. The series include personal correspondence; financial, accounting, and tax records; files generated during vacations; reference material; and will and estate papers.
The Burpee collection also has a large number of images related to the Burpee business and family in a variety of formats including photographs, film and glass plate negatives, and advertisement mock-ups. Other formats include architectural and site plans, original artwork for advertisements, films, cassettes, audio tapes, and ephemera.
Arrangement:
Collection is arranged into six series:
Series 1: Plant/Farm Related Material
Series 2: Business Records
Series 3: Material Published About the Burpee Company
Series 4: Awards and Certificates
Series 5: Photographic and A/V Materials
Series 6: Burpee Family Papers
Biographical / Historical:
Washington Atlee Burpee (1858-1915) began a mail-order poultry and livestock business in 1876 in Philadelpia, which he soon expanded to include corn seed for chicken feed. In 1878, he founded W. Atlee Burpee & Co., the primary focus of which was to sell vegetable, fruit, and flower seeds through the mail. This company would go on to become one of the most notable seed distributors in the United States.
By 1888, Burpee's family home, Fordhook Farms, in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, was established as an experimental farm to test and evaluate new varieties of vegetables and flowers, and to produce seeds. Burpee spent many summers traveling throughout the United States and Europe, visiting farms and searching for the best flowers and vegetables; certain plants he found were shipped to Fordhook Farms for testing. Plants that survived were bred with healthier specimens to produce heartier hybrids that were more resistant to disease. Other Burpee trial gardens were established in Lompoc, California and near Swedesboro, New Jersey.
Burpee's son David took over the family business upon his father's death in 1915. At that time, the Burpee Company had 300 employees and was the largest mail order seed company in the world. It distributed over one million catalogs a year and received as many as 10,000 orders a day. In response to food shortages caused by World War I, the Burpee Company helped promote a "war gardens" campaign that evolved into a "victory gardens" campaign during World War II. Both were aimed at city dwellers and instructed them on how to grow vegetables for their own consumption to aid in the war effort.
Sometime in the 1930s, the Burpee Company entered into a business relationship with the James Vick's Company of Rochester, New York. In 1947, Burpee purchased the assets of and rights to the use of the name of the Wm. Henry Maule Co. In 1970, Burpee was sold to General Foods; the corporate headquarters moved from Philadelphia to Warminster, Pennsylvania in 1974. David Burpee remained a consultant for the company until his death in 1981. In 1991, the Burpee Company was acquired by George J. Ball, Inc.
Related Materials:
Burpee seed catalogs donated to the Smithsonian in 1982 by the W. Atlee Burpee Co. can be found in the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives' Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History.
The Farm Security Administration - Office of War Information Photograph Collection in the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division includes a series of images of Burpee company operations taken in 1943.
The Black Gold Cooperative Library System's Asian/Pacific - Americans on the Central Coast Collection includes images dated 1933-1939 of Japanese employees of the Burpee Co. working at Floradale Farms in Lompoc, California.
Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
United States of America -- Massachusetts -- Middlesex County -- Cambridge
Scope and Contents:
1 folder and 25 digital images. The folder includes worksheets, photocopies of reference prints and other images.
General:
The Morse School is a Cambridge Modern style single-story modular structure with large windows and doors that open to the outdoors from individual classrooms, built in 1955. One-quarter acre of the schoolyard has gardens that are a major learning facility for the elementary school's students, and a resource for the neighborhood. The entry garden has a gravel path bordered on one side with raspberry bushes, with annual tomatoes, peppers, eggplants and cucumbers on the other side, and an open bed for digging dirt. A painted arbor opens to the main garden which features an alphabet garden along a chain link fence. Each year students plants annual flowers and vegetables for each letter, such as asters for "A" and zinnias for "Z". A pollinator garden attracts butterflies, other pollinating insects and birds with milkweed, Shasta daisies, geraniums, catmint, phlox, and grapevines growing on two trellises against the wall of the building. About ten beds of various sizes and shapes in the center of the main garden grow seasonal vegetables, beginning with leafy green vegetables, moving on to root crops such as carrots, potatoes and beets, followed by corn and peas and beans on a string trellis. There are two herb beds, more beds with strawberries, onions, sunflowers, cabbage, zucchini, chard, watermelon, and a companion planting of marigolds. Annual flowers are grown in two small whiskey barrels.
Other facilities include compost bins for food scraps and garden thinnings and a vibrantly painted shed for storing tools and supplies. A grassy gathering area has two fruit trees including an apple tree planted in the 1950's, and a large sycamore tree with six tree stumps nearby, seating for teaching, discussion, reading, singing and playing music. The community holds a Garden Expo in August and a cider pressing in October in the grassy gathering area. Age-appropriate curricula uses the gardens to teach urban children where food comes from, the life-cycle of growing plants, introductory botany and genetics. Other subject areas including art, math, food preparation and healthy eating derive from the students' gardening experiences.
CitySprouts, a local non-profit organization, partners with Morse School and provides workers, tools and garden supplies. CitySprouts has a plant list it recommends for garden-based learning along with suggestions for environmental subjects. Morse School had an empty front yard that was dug up and planted with red, white and blue spring bulbs in the shape of an American flag following September 11, 2001. The learning garden was developed afterwards.
Persons associated with the garden include Metropolitan District Commission (playground, Victory Garden, 1953- ); City of Cambridge (Morse School, 1953- ); Carl Koch (1912-1998) (architect, 1955); Design Partnership of Cambridge (renovation architects, 1999); Jane Hirschi, Director of City Sprouts (non-profit assisting in creating and maintaining school garden, 2001- ); Patricia Beggy (Morse school principal, 2004- ); Juliet and György Kepes (enamel panels artists, 1957); Tomie Arai (silk-screened mural artist, 1999).
Related Materials:
Additional materials also located in CitySprouts, 678 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139.
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
Sponsor:
A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.
United States of America -- Massachusetts -- Worcester County -- Grafton -- North Grafton
Scope and Contents:
The folder includes a work sheet, site plans, plant list, invoices, and copies of articles.
General:
Brigham Hill Farm was established in 1975 on over 13 acres. the gardens are entered either through the granite slab driveway or down the bluestone walk. an herb garden near the kitchen includes boxwood hedges, water trough, and fountain. This garden is set off seasonally with potted herbs and flowers. A vegetable garden exists behind the house. The raised beds were made with Milford pink granite beds, which match the home's foundation. Just past the vegetable garden is a small space, Gertrude's Garden. A small fountain/bird bath and boxwood hedges surround a lawn. The perennial gardens consist of several island beds and borders . A circle of Malus "Sugar Tyme' crab apple trees is being trained to create a bower in the garden for a shady sitting area. The owners placed a small rustic arbor made from red cedar cut for the property. A moon garden is located in a corner with white-flowering and silver foliaged plants. The water/wild garden begins past the pool area with a series of ponds and waterfalls cut into the native granite outcropping that provide water for plant and animal life. A small semi-circular council ring allows a seating area. Other garden features include several cut flower beds, small fruit beds, a chicken house with green roof, and shrub borders.
Persons and organizations associated with the property include: Jim Foster (landscape architect, 1993); Warren Leach (landscape architect, 1997-present); John Carlson (gardener, 1993-present); Jim Bengtson (stone mason, 1997-present); John Mapel (horticulturist, 2002-2007); Burnham Maintenance (lawn care, 1991-2007); and Bartlett Tree Experts (tree care, 1993-2007).
Related Materials:
Brigham Hill Farm related holdings consist of 1 folder (18 35 mm. slides)
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Topic:
Gardens -- Massachusetts -- North Grafton Search this
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
Sponsor:
A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.
[The Old Place]: Fenced raised bed "victory garden" surrounded by walled, raised bed cutting garden on the site of old greenhouse. On the right is a shed attached to the garage.
United States of America -- Massachusetts -- Berkshire County -- Stockbridge
Date:
2017 July 23
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Gardens -- Massachusetts -- Stockbridge Search this
Genre/Form:
Digital images
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
Sponsor:
A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.
United States of America -- Massachusetts -- Berkshire County -- Stockbridge
Date:
2017 November 17
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Gardens -- Massachusetts -- Stockbridge Search this
Genre/Form:
Digital images
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
Sponsor:
A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
Collection Citation:
Lee Ya-Ching Papers, NASM.2008.0009, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
