Talk on Colonial Revival Seacoast Gardens

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Two regional horticulturists from South Berwick will alternate places at the podium talking about a 1934 Garden Club of America tour of our region's gardens. The richly illustrated program, which is open to the public, will begin at 7:30 pm on Thursday, January 27. (Continued below with photo)

 

In their lecture, entitled "The Colonial Revival Seacoast Garden: Photographs from the 1934 Garden Club of America Tour,” Gary and Nancy Wetzel will talk about how the Piscataqua Garden Club 76 years ago hosted a Garden Club of America tour, opening 33 properties to 400 fellow gardeners. 

Sponsored by the Old Berwick Historical Society, the program will be held at Berwick Academy's Jeppesen Science Center on Academy Street. Refreshments will be served by volunteers.  

Images by local photographers Marvin Breckinridge and John Mead Howells were used in the July 1934 tour guidebook, while other images in publications of the day documented and idealized the tour landscapes. 

Through these photographs, the Wetzels will provide a view of early 20^th century garden culture, exploring classic grounds components such as paths and borders, phlox and lilies, pergolas and outdoor rooms. They will also feature cameos of selected properties now and then. The gardens, four of which are now tended today by the Wetzels, are located from the Yorks to South Berwick, Rollinsford, Kittery Point, Portsmouth and Newburyport.             

Gary Wetzel began his landscape work at Historic New England’s 1678 Coffin House in Newbury, Mass. in 1979, and has served as Piscataqua landscape manager since 1981. Working among such treasures as the 200-year-old terraces of the Rundlet-May House in Portsmouth, NH; the sugar-maple allee at the c. 1800 Barrett House in New Ipswich, NH; and the rose arbor on the grounds of 1784 Langdon House in Portsmouth, Gary’s current favorite is the on-going restoration of the early 20th century landscape at Hamilton House. 

Nancy Wetzel is a gardener whose practice includes the gardens at the house museum for a 19th century writer; an 18th century tidewater farm under conservation; and a colonial property with flowerbeds inspired by a Chinese puzzle. Nancy is also a writer and speaker specializing in garden history. 

The upcoming program is part of the Old Berwick Historical Society's 2011 series of talks, walks and historical events. The series, supported by member donations, includes seven monthly evening presentations as well as other local history events around South Berwick. 

More information on the Counting House Museum and all the Old Berwick Historical Society's programs is available online or by calling (207) 384-0000. 

Photo caption:  View from Hamilton House garden, South Berwick, photographed by Marving Breckinridge in the 1930s.  Seventy-six years ago, the Piscataqua Garden Club hosted a Garden Club of America tour, opening 33 properties to 400 fellow gardeners.