Inspirational garden images abound in books, in magazines, here on the computer. These 2-dimensional images allow us to imagine the 3-dimensional experience of glorious gardens.
Naturally, exploring a beautiful garden is even better than looking at an image of one. Experiencing a garden in person allows you to move through it, going up or down or under or between, to see how the parts connect & what draws you on, what lures you closer. The scents & sounds, the feel of sun & breeze, the discovery of surprising elements - and ah yes the plants - all these create a memorable experience.
Among the memorable gardens I love to visit is Hollister House. This is a private garden I saw in a magazine long long ago. When it later opened to the public for a day, as part of the Garden Conservancy's Open Day program, I made the pilgrimage there and have returned many times since, still enthralled.
Hollister House is a garden that demonstrates a mastery of grade change & planting design. But it is the mood of this garden that fascinates me. It feels intimate yet expansive. It feels unstudied and casual yet it is deliberately constructed and layered. It is peaceful & soothing yet also excites as it draws you on to explore & discover.
The orderly structure of crisp hedges, brick walls, stone steps, paved paths & reflective pool contrasts with the luscious and exuberant plantings. The interlocking levels, the glimpses of something beyond or below or above, the framing and focal points & of course the marvelous plant palette make this an unforgettable garden.
Here are a few pictures I have taken there over the years.
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| Gerald's Parterre - the highest point of garden |
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| View from Gerald's Parterre to Gray Garden below |
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| Descending to Gray Garden |
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| Gray Garden |
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| Gray Garden |
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| View from Gray Garden to Walled Garden below |
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| Walled Garden |
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| Walled Garden |
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| Walled Garden |
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| Planting in Double Border |
George Schoellkopf is the owner plantsman sculptor gardener of this property. This garden reflects his love of the land and his design genius. Thank you, George, for sharing your garden.
For more information about this garden & how he is sharing it, to see a Garden Plan, and to find out when it is open for visitors, go to hollisterhousegarden.org.
