“The love of outdoor work and collaboration with Nature brings a peace and satisfaction that can seldom be attained.” – Beatrix Farrand, 1954
By Judith Canty Graves
Last September I traveled to Mount Desert Island in Maine to tour three gardens related to Beatrix Farrand, the first female landscape architect of the early 20th century. Farrand began her career in New York City in 1896, establishing herself as a garden designer for many prominent clients in Gilded Age society.
Although there was no formal training for landscape architecture at the time, Farrand learned from skilled tutors and mentors and traveled extensively in Europe with her mother and her aunt—novelist Edith Wharton—to study garden design.
Entrance to the Rockefeller Garden, Seal Harbor, Maine. Photo by Judith Canty Graves
One of Farrand’s first jobs was to consult on gardens at The Mount, Wharton’s home in Lenox, MA. Wharton designed the gardens and her niece designed the entry drive for carriages as well as a large kitchen garden. Farrand also advised on the placement of flower gardens so they could be seen from the windows of the house. She went on to design gardens for estates in the Berkshires, Long Island and Newport, RI.
Farrand’s childhood summer home, Reef Point, was located in Bar Harbor, ME, so she was familiar with the area. Many wealthy clients with summer homes on Mount Desert Island hired her to design their gardens. John D. and Abby Rockefeller, had her design their garden and grounds at Seal Harbor, ME, known today as the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Garden, between 1926 and 1930. It is one of the most enchanting places I have ever visited.
The Rockefellers had traveled extensively in Asia and returned with many statues from Korea, China and Japan. The result is a traditional three-acre English garden with flower borders as well as Asian statuary, lanterns and temple roof tiles. Today, the Mount Desert Land and Garden Preserve maintains this magical place for the public to enjoy from June to early September. Reservations are necessary.
The Preserve also maintains two nearby gardens related to Beatrix Farrand: Thuya Garden and the Asticou Azalea Garden. Thuya Garden is located at the site of an early 20th century summer house named Thuya Lodge after the white cedar trees (Thuja occidentalis) in the area. Maine resident Charles K. Savage created the garden on the grounds around the lodge using plants he brought from Farrand’s Reef Point after she dismantled the house and grounds in 1956.
Savage also created Asticou Azalea Garden, highlighting azaleas he transplanted from Reef Point. In the spring the vibrant colors are reflected in a centrally located pond. Influenced by Japanese design, Savage created a sand garden among the azaleas and incorporated Japanese features, similar to the Rockefeller garden.
The Mount Desert Land and Garden Preserve continues Farrand’s legacy by maintaining these gardens for the public to enjoy. If you are planning a visit to Maine, they will be one of the highlights of your trip.
Judith Canty Graves is an award-winning columnist with a home garden in Asheville. Follow @TheObservantGardener on Instagram to see new garden photos daily.
