Ladew Topiary Gardens And House
The grounds contain 15 garden rooms, each devoted to a single color, plant or theme, arranged around two cross axes with vistas. The axes meet in an oval swimming pool. The garden is particularly noted for its topiary, which was strongly influenced by Ladew's extensive travel in England, where he frequently went fox hunting. Ladew designed topiaries depicting a fox hunt with horses, riders, dogs, and foxes clearing a hedge, a Chinese junk with sails, swans, and a giraffe, among others. It was proclaimed an "exquisite garden estate" by The New York Times. The Garden Club of America has described it as "the most outstanding topiary garden in America." The grounds also contain a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) nature walk.
The house was built in stages, starting in the late 18th century, with a mid-19th century addition and other additions in the 20th century. The oval library is particularly noteworthy, and has been called "one of the 100 most beautiful rooms in America". Both the grounds and house, which contain a good collection of antique English furniture, opened to the public in 1971.
Gallery
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Manor House at Ladew Gardens.
See also
References
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ Hardie, Dee (April 28, 1970). "Still-Life Foxes and Swans Cavort on Maryland Farm" (PDF). The New York Times. Retrieved December 5, 2008.
- ^ James A. Caufield (April 1975). "National Register of Historic Places Registration: Ladew Topiary Gardens" (PDF). Maryland Historical Trust. Retrieved 2016-01-01.
External links
- Ladew Topiary Gardens
- Ladew Topiary Gardens and Ladew House, Harford County, at Maryland Historical Trust