I originally grabbed this photo because it showed a lovely formal garden, but as I examined it more closely, I could see a lot that was wild about this picture, too. Yes, it has large lawns, stonework and a fountain, but looking at the edges it is also exuberant, with the beds threatening to spill out into the lawn at any moment. Maybe that is the goal of any garden — to maintain a bit of control but also expose the wilderness that could be.

The truth is, we only carve our gardens out of the wilderness for a small amount of time. I only have to look at properties in my neighborhood that remain empty for a short time. The lawn and garden beds quickly revert to weeds and saplings. Given a few months, I could see the entire property yielding to the overwhelming pressure of nature. Even more, this is here in the relatively dry and inhospitable San Fernando Valley. if you live in a more temperate climate, your lot could go from a cultivated garden to meadow to woodlot in just a year or so.

Tatham Garden [slide]

Tatham Garden [slide]

Creator: Van Altena, Edward
       Tatham, Edwin, Mrs
       Bedford Garden Club

Type: Projected media

Date: 1930

Topic: Summer
     Lawns
     Stairs
     Containers
     Shrubs
     Stones
     Hedges
     Bulbs
     Walls (building)
     Arches
     Trees
     Lavabos (Architecture)

Local number: NY054001

Physical description: 1 slide: glass lantern, col.; 3 x 5 in

Place: Tatham Garden (Somers, New York)

Persistent URL:http://siris-archives.si.edu/ipac20/ipac.jsp?&profile=all&sour ce=~!siarchives&uri=full=3100001~!183159~!0#focus

Repository:Archives of American Gardens

View more collections from the Smithsonian Institution.

Previously in Garden History: