A Visit to Oak Spring Garden

The Broodmare Barn.

 

On Saturday May 15 our Botanical Artist Society of the National Capital Region (BASNCR) enjoyed a rare treat: a private tour of Oak Spring Gardens in Upperville, VA, the estate of the late Paul and Rachel "Bunny" Mellon. I had contacted the Oak Spring Garden Foundation (OSGF) last year through one of my art students whose sister worked there. 

The garden is only open to the public for one week of the year during Virginia Historic Garden Week, so this was a very special opportunity for us botanical artists to get a glimpse of this lovely garden and unique botanical collection.

I received confirmation the tour would take place as planned during the first days of May. There was a strict limit of ten persons, and once the word went out to BASNCR members, the spaces filled up quickly. One member cancelled at the last minute, so we ended up being just nine.

 

Walking towards the Library.

 

The weather was perfect--we couldn't have asked for a more beautiful spring day! We were met at the Broodmare barn by our guide, Eleanor, one of their dedicated volunteers. Paul Mellon had at one time raised thoroughbreds here, and a statue of his most famous prize-winning horse adorns the courtyard of the barn. The barn is no longer used for its original purpose; it has been remodeled to function as a conference center that includes guestrooms with en-suite bathrooms for conference attendees.

Next stop on our tour was the library, where no photos allowed inside. The director, Tony Willis, had on display some dozen original historical botanical artworks for us. We saw illustrations of Opuntia cactus by Georg Ehret painted on vellum in 1758, a German iris oil on paper by Jean Baptiste Huet dating from 1785, and a beautiful Crown Imperial Fritillary by Johanna Helena Herolt (one of Maria Sybilla Merian's daughters) circa 1721 were a few of those.

 

The library exterior.

The two-story library interior itself was a work of art with an antique marble fireplace, a trompe l'oeil bookshelf with books painted on one wall and other curious furnishings such as a quaint set of large papier mache flowers that could be taken apart to teach the various parts of a flower to botanical students, a naturalist's doll house, and many more.

From there Tony proceeded to show us a very rare folio-sized volume of illustrations by Maria Sybilla Merian, the German artist who is credited with being the first to study insect and plant interactions and metamorphosis. Maria traveled to Dutch Surinam in 1699 to study first hand the plants and insects there and returned to Holland where she published several books of her illustrations. The etchings had been hand-colored by Merian's two surviving daughters--she passed away before the edition was completed in 1719.  We saw ancient herbals: "Hortus Sanitatus" dating from 1511, and another tome circa 1450. 

 

BASNCR members and companions under the arbor.

After touring the library it was time to see the gardens. One enters through a shady arbor of crab apple trees espaliered on a trellis, an iconic feature designed by Mrs. Mellon. The arbor connects the main garden with the "Glass House," a large structure with a central pavilion and two greenhouse wings.

The Glass House

The large expanse of garden is enclosed by the main house with smaller cottages and pavilions to either side. There is a vegetable garden, lawns, and many flower beds punctuated by fountains, reflecting pools, and topiary trees, in a formal arrangement. Informal touches of plants straying from their confines softened the outlines--flowers were allowed to grow in the paths between paving stones here and there.

 

The vegetable garden at Oak Spring

Flower beds.

American holly topiary and flower beds.

Cottage with Iris beds

 

We continued on to the Glass House, where the central pavilion was decorated with trompe l'oeil paintings of cabinets and shelves displaying many of "Bunny" Mellon's favorite objects: her basket collection including a Vietnamese basket gifted by her friend Jackie Kennedy (upper center panel), garden tools, fruits and vegetables. Even the "tiles" on the walls and ceiling are painted.

Trompe l'oeil cabinet doors in the "potting shed"

The actual potting table behind the doors with more trompe l'oeil decorations.

Cabinet doors with trompe 'loeil

The Glass House greenhouse

We were informed that the greenhouses are not used during the summer months, since they are not well-insulated and become too warm.

 

Lilac bush outside the garden.

Family memorabilia: a Monet painting over a fireplace.

 

As we were reaching the end of our two-hour tour, we were led back toward the barn to enter another pavilion housing a collection of family memorabilia and a gift shop, where we were able to choose from a number of souvenirs. What a wonderful ending for an outstanding day!

Bunny Mellon's garden gloves and secateurs.