One of the great treats in life is to visit gardens that are open to the public. Year after year, gardens revitalize visitors with their beauty and tranquility. We include them in Side of Culture because gardens are places of history, design, culture, and above all, community. Whether you are a volunteer, a caretaker, an administrator, a visitor, a donor or a friend, gardens tend to gather a community of supporters.
This month, we revisit one of the great American garden gems, the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Garden. Surrounded by Acadia National Park on the island of Mount Desert along the coast of northern Maine, the garden is now part of the Land & Garden Preserve that also includes the Asticou Azalea Garden, Thuya Garden and natural lands at Little Long Pond and Hunters Cliff. The mission of the Land & Garden Preserve is “to share the beauty of historic lands and gardens on Mount Desert Island.”
Beatrix Farrand,the first female landscape gardener in the U.S., started her design in 1926, with construction starting in 1928. The three acre walled garden is planted with approximately 70% annuals and 30% perennials. All of the annuals are grown at nearby greenhouses, and about 6,000 annuals and new perennials are planted each year, with a “hot color side” (east) and a “cool color side” (west). The naturally growing mosses are irrigated and kept clear of debris (leaves, branches, needles) to maintain their vibrant, carpet-like effect.
The Garden is a combination of Asian influence complete with round entry ways through the Asian walls surrounding a palatial English flower garden. The gates lead to serene moss gardens with pools, ferns and statuary that include six pairs of tomb statues from Korea. These and other Asian statuary and the stillness of the environment give off a feeling of meditative peacefulness. One can but feel a sense of gratitude not only to the designer but also to the Rockefeller family for maintaining this oasis for the public.
In our original article, Kathryn Strand, the Director of Development and Communications at the Land & Garden Preserve said, “Visiting the lands and gardens of the Preserve, or any beautiful, natural place is a chance to restore and calm ourselves. The benefits of connecting with nature are immense and essential to our well-being, especially in trying times.” In a recent newsletter, the CEO, Patric MacRae said, “Gardens [serve as] are refuges where people can disconnect from the complexities of daily life and find a sense of peace. The Land & Garden Preserve exemplifies that idea beautifully. Often, people describe Mount Desert Island as feeling like a version of Narnia and the landscapes of the Preserve are certainly a world apart. Our vision is serenity, and we strive every day to deliver on that promise.
The sense of peace is enhanced by the careful maintenance of the pathways and garden beds, including the large rectangular closely clipped lawn at the center and gravel paths along its edge. The scents from the flowers in the garden – a mix of perennials and annuals – combined with the piney air in the surrounding forest feel like you are in a climactic health resort. You can feel your blood pressure drop as your body absorbs the quiet, the scents and the invigorating and restorative air.
The Land & Garden Preserve totals 1,400 acres of historic natural lands, gardens, and trails on Mount Desert Island, between Seal Harbor and Northeast Harbor, bordering Acadia National Park. Within this natural paradise is the Asticou Azalea Garden, Thuya Garden and the Little Long Pond Natural Lands which the public can also visit without reservations. Even though the Land & Garden Preserve is focused on preservation, the directors emphasize “botanical innovation, horticultural excellence, ecological health, and best practices in environmental sustainability” so you always sense that everything is quietly very up-to-date.
Little Long Pond and surrounding areas are a biodiversity hotspot. The Preserve’s management of Little Long Pond is focused on maintaining this high-quality ecology, and the conservation of these lands is vital to the survival of this important ecosystem: 17 acres of meadows 12 acres of freshwater marsh, one bog and nearly 1,000 acres of forests, 10 miles of hiking trails and 10 miles of carriage roads.
The community of the Land & Garden Preserve is also growing. Volunteers play important roles at the Preserve. In the gardens and on our natural lands there are many wonderful opportunities to learn, share, and be part of a group of passionate individuals. There are also many activities for visitors in the evenings and during the day for informative tours on the history, ecology and design of the gardens. Each summer the activities are different so keep your eye on the website for updates and don’t forget to make reservations for your visit.
Many thanks to the Preserve’s website for their information for this article. For more information on Beatrix Farrand, please go to the Beatrix Farrand Society website.
By Victoria Larson, Publisher, Side of Culture
