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Landscape Design

Help! Info on Federal Period/Arts and Craft Gardens?

17 years ago

We have a federal period house with and arts and crafts addition, so the house is half federal, half arts and crafts. Both portions were built right at the turn of their own century.

We are beginning to look into making the gardens, but although I have found the Tudor Place online, and we like the looks of Town Place, I really could use some direction. We do have a very formal-looking property, so I think federal would be best - but that's because I know nothing about the arts and crafts gardens - well, either, really.

I'm looking for information on all-over structure, as well as individual flowers. Right now, we plan to have two long (150') borders on either side of the lawn with mainly violet-colored flowers running down the property towards a fountain. The fountain is surrounded by four raised beds, each under a tall arborvitae. (This is all getting complicated, so I'm going to attach a rough drawing).

We would like to make the main gardens behind the borders (so that the lawn is in the center, then the borders, then the gardens), and there would be plenty of room for that - about 30 feet from the trees on the property line to where we think we'll place the 150' borders.

From what I understand, it sounds like knot gardens are typical, symmetry and formality important, roses are prized, etc. Are there other things to include? I know "structures" were big, but I doubt we would be able to afford that (Still, please, I want as much information as possible, to get the idea, even if it's expensive). It also sounds like it is important to edge things with boxwood. I know all of this would be expensive, but I want to make the "10 year" plan so that I know what I'm working towards when I place beds and plant things, especially trees. Any good websites out there?

I would like to put a row of arbors extending out from either side of the square, so when you look from the house down the lawn, you'll see the lawn surrounded by the borders and gardens; but the main view will be the fountain, surrounded by the raised beds with the arbors extending towards the boundaries on either side; then I would like to extend, towards the back of the property, a path lined by flower beds to lead the viewer to the gazebo, which is by the creek.

Thanks for any suggestions/information/resources you can provide!

Here is a link that might be useful:

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Comments (2)

laag
17 years ago
See if you can get your hands on a book entitled "For Every House A Garden - A Guide For Preparing Period Gardens" by Rudy & Joy Favretti. It is an easy read and only about 100 pages of text. It has enough in it to give you a good understanding without killing yourself. There are many plans of various periods in it as well. There are historical lists of plants used in various periods as well. Itis all American.
laag
17 years ago
I got the book at a gift shop in a historic tourist village (Olde Sturbridge Village) in paperback for $12.95 a few years ago. It turned out that they had designed the landscape at the house that I was living in at the time according to the landlord(and their daughter had installed it some years earlier, if I'm not mistaken).
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I saw a similar request last week but didn't have a chance to reply. Our kitchen in our new lake house will be somewhat of the style you are looking for, but it is far from complete so that is no help to you now. As mentioned in responses to the earlier post, there are a few kitchens in that style in the Finished Kitchens Blog. Also, there is Crown Point cabinetry's web site. Other than that, the best resource that I have found are magazines, particularly Arts & Crafts ones: American Bungalow, Style 1900, Old House Journal, and Old House Interiors. I know I collected several years worth of each of these while planning our new lake house. There are also a couple of books specifically written on Arts & Crafts kitchens --- one by Jane Powell is perhaps the best known. For this and other resources, look at the "Bunglalow Bookstore" listings at the back of any American Bungalow magazine. Hope this helps.
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