HISTORY

Beatrix Farrand was a landscape gardener whose work defined the American taste in gardens throughout the first half of the 20th century. For generations, gardens consisted of tender and annual plants set out each year in elaborately shaped beds cut into lawn. Farrand joined the likes of England's Gertrude Jekyll and William Robinson in championing the use of perennial plants in combinations based upon color harmony, bloom sequence and texture. This was the birth of the mixed border that is standard in gardens today. Farrand combined this horticultural expertise, honed through study at Harvard's Arnold Arboretum, with a keen eye for detail, a near perfect sense of proportion, and a broad foundation in the fine arts and design history. Whether large or small, formal or naturalistic, Farrand's designs responded to both the specifics of the site and the desires of her clients. As a result, each commission was unique, but in each, Farrand's hand was apparent. All of her designs create a singularly comfortable atmosphere while intriguing and amusing visitors with delights both sensory and intellectual.

Beatrix Farrand's work represents the very epitome of her craft. As such, she was sought after by the most powerful individuals and institutions of her day. While most of her gardens have been lost to time, notable exceptions include the Rockefeller's Eyrie Garden in Maine, large portions of the Princeton and Yale campuses, and Dumbarton Oaks, in Washington, D.C., indisputably one of the great gardens of the world. This rarified context should give present-day visitors to the Beatrix Farrand Garden at Bellefield a better sense of the treasure that lies within its fieldstone walls. Bellefield, an elegant 18th century house remodeled by famed architects McKim, Mead and White for Thomas and Sarah Newbold, now serves as the headquarters for the National Park Service. Federal budget constraints led to a period of disrepair in the garden. Then in 1994, the Beatrix Farrand Garden Association, a nonprofit volunteer organization, was chartered by the National Park Service to spearhead the revival of this outstanding American garden. Early support came from the National Park Foundation, the Garden Conservancy, and the Garden Club of America, which twice named Bellefield as first runner-up for its prestigious Founders Fund Award.

The restoration has resulted in a stunning display of perfectly composed borders - pink; white; blush, cream and grey; and mauve and purple - set off by vine-traced walls and clipped hemlock hedges. Thanks to a recent grant from the Jane W. Nuhn Charitable Trust, a third and final garden gate has been created using Farrand's own working drawings. This magnificent oak door, replete with elaborate Arts & Crafts style hardware, was handmade by local artisans, and is now installed at Bellefield. The Beatrix Farrand Garden Association is dedicated to preserving the Beatrix Farrand Garden at Bellefield, and educating the public about this influential American designer and her rich horticultural legacy. The garden is open to visitors every day from dawn until dusk, and special tours may be arranged. Volunteers meet each week on Tuesday mornings during the gardening season, and newcomers are always welcome.