Object Details
- General
- Located on approximately two acres on a corner of a major north-south artery into Greenwich, this two and a half story Arts and Crafts home was designed by architect William B. Tubby in 1904. When the current owners purchased the home in 1992, there was considerable traffic noise from the road, a large driveway dominated the front yard which was flanked by mature American beech and Copper beach trees and a large vegetable garden was located off the kitchen at the rear of the house. In 1994, the owner hired landscape architect Wolfgang Oehme to redesign the garden. The new planting design resulted in what has been described as a "big swooping American gesture." Oehme transformed the front garden by reducing and redirecting the driveway and replacing the entire expanse of lawn with small flowering trees and shrubs, and mass plantings of grasses and perennials. A fountain by the front door now masks the sound of traffic and there are paths that lead to woodland areas. The circular gravel driveway has been redirected to the side street and is reduced in size by two-thirds. A broad walkway, composed of flagstone and decorative brickwork leads to the front door, is lined with large seasonal containers.
- In the backyard, a large terrace runs across the back of the house. Grass steps lead down to the remaining bit of lawn on the property. This lawn is flanked on both sides by broad planting areas composed of birches, viburnums, ironweed, and other perennials which screen the pool from the house. The plantings also frame the "borrowed view" of the distant golf course.
- The peak season of the garden is in the fall with the motion of the large ornamental grasses, Japanese anemones and other fall foliage. Spring showcases a bulb display and summer showcases the blue haze of nepeta and Russian sage. Peastone paths, flagstone walkways, stone planters, pergolas, and a lily pond combined with bare structural forms of historic and small trees ensures that winter displays the underlying structure of the garden.
- Persons associated with the garden include: William B. and Clara J. Tubby (former owners, 1904-1950), Kenneth C. Towe (former owner, 1950-1943), Charles M. DuPuy, (former owner, 1953-196, William J. and Natalie W. Barron (former owners, 1960-1965), Ann S. Lanman(former owner, 1965-1988), Howard A. and Ruthann M. Silverman (former owner, 1988-1991), Arthur B. Duel (former owner, 1991-1992), William B. Tubby (architect, 1904), Cora Burnham (garden designer, 1995) James van Sweden (landscape architect, 1994), Wolfgang Oehme (landscape architect, 1994), Eric Groft (landscape designer, 1994) and Cora Burnham (landscape designer, 1995).
- Landscape architect
- Oehme, Wolfgang
- van Sweden, James
- Architect
- Tubby, William B.
- Former owner
- Tubby, William B.
- Landscape designer
- Burnham, Cora
- Groft, Eric
- Landscape architect
- Oehme, van Sweden & Associates, Inc.
- Provenance
- Hortulus Garden Club
- Collection Creator
- Garden Club of America
- Place
- Rosita Trinca Garden (Greenwich, Connecticut)
- United States of America -- Connecticut -- Fairfield -- Greenwich
- Topic
- Gardens -- Connecticut -- Greenwich
- Landscape architect
- Oehme, Wolfgang
- van Sweden, James
- Architect
- Tubby, William B.
- Former owner
- Tubby, William B.
- Landscape designer
- Burnham, Cora
- Groft, Eric
- Landscape architect
- Oehme, van Sweden & Associates, Inc.
- Provenance
- Hortulus Garden Club
- See more items in
- The Garden Club of America collection
- The Garden Club of America collection / Series 1: United States Garden Images / Connecticut
- 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.
- Custodial History
- The Hortulus Garden Club facilitated the submission of this garden's documentation.
- Archival Repository
- Archives of American Gardens
- Identifier
- AAG.GCA, File CT703
- Type
- Archival materials
- Collection Citation
- Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
- 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.
- Bibliography
- Garden has been featured in Gardening with Nature by James van Sweden, "The Simon and Rosita Trinca Garden", p. 131-136.. Garden has been featured in William B. Tubby House, by Nils Kerschus, July 1994 for the Historical Society for the Town of Greenwich (HSTG). Garden has been featured in Tubby, William B. 8/12/1858-5/11/1944 clipping at Historical Society for the Town of Greenwich file- obituary. Garden has been featured in "Our Noted Neighbors", Greenwich News & Graphic, Catherine Broderick, 11/22/1933. Garden has been featured in the obituary for Wolfgang Oehme, New York Times, 12/24/2011.
- Scope and Contents
- The folder includes worksheets photocopies of articles relating to the garden, garden plans, and other information about the garden.
- 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.
- Record ID
- ebl-1643208220039-1643210177680-0
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