Leland -- Joseph Thomas Mathis House Garden
Object Details
sova.aag.gca_ref9157
- General
- This formal garden, located on one and one-third of an acre, was planted initially in the 1920s and grew to be well-known and well-loved by many in Leland, Mississippi. That formal garden bloomed year-round in the mild climate of the delta region. It was planted in rectilinear beds with deep perennial borders surrounding the lawn, and was maintained into the 1960s. Over time the structured garden declined and features were removed. In the 1980s the current owners began restoring the garden, reviving the flowering shrubs and bulbs that had survived but restyling the formal ornamental garden in a more naturalistic way. The current garden has curving beds throughout the property laced with walks lined with liriope, Chippendale-style garden furniture built by the owner, arbors, patios and porches, and a new fountain in the restored lily pool.
- There are more than 300 hydrangeas planted in the Joseph Thomas Mathis House Garden that were propagated on site by the owners. The property is awash in pink blooms during the months of May and June. Among the surviving plants from the original formal garden are live oak, magnolia, holly, cypress, kerria, daylilies, daffodils and other bulbs, iris, and sweetheart roses. The extensive plant selection of trees, shrubs, perennials and bulbs includes only those specimens that thrive in the alluvial soil of the Mississippi delta, which is rich and alkaline.
- Persons associated with the garden include Joseph Thomas Mathis and Ruth Aldridge Mathis (garden designers of the original formal garden, 1926-1964) and T.C. Harvey (architect, 1925).
- Garden designer
- Mathis, Joseph Thomas
- Architect
- Harvey, T.C.
- Garden designer
- Mathis, Ruth Aldridge
- Provenance
- Greenville Garden Club
- Collection Creator
- Garden Club of America
- Place
- Joseph Thomas Mathis House Garden (Leland, Mississippi)
- United States of America -- Mississippi -- Washington County -- Leland
- Topic
- Gardens -- Mississippi -- Leland
- Garden designer
- Mathis, Joseph Thomas
- Architect
- Harvey, T.C.
- Garden designer
- Mathis, Ruth Aldridge
- Provenance
- Greenville Garden Club
- See more items in
- The Garden Club of America collection
- The Garden Club of America collection / Series 1: United States Gardens / Mississippi
- Sponsor
- A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.
- Custodial History
- The Greenville Garden Club facilitated the submission of this garden's documentation.
- Archival Repository
- Archives of American Gardens
- Identifier
- AAG.GCA, File MS039
- Type
- Archival materials
- Collection Citation
- Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
- Collection Rights
- Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
- Bibliography
- This property is featured in many newspaper and magazine articles including: The Leland Progress, April 11, 1996; Delta Democrat Times, May 14, 1996, April 14, 2004, May 9, 2006 and May 12, 2009; "Sharing the Joy" by Steve Bender published in Southern Living, June 2001; "Hydrangea has Large, Appreciative Audience" by Glynda Phillips in Mississippi Farm Country, September/October 2004; "Delta Hospitality" by Margaret Gratz in Mississippi Gardener, May 2005; and "Hydrangeas to Share" published in Southern Living 40th Anniversary Special Edition (2006).
- Scope and Contents
- The folder includes worksheets, photocopies of articles, and write-ups of the property's history including a photocopy of the garden diary of Ruth Aldridge Mathis from the years 1926-1940.
- Collection Restrictions
- Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
AAG.GCA_ref9157
Large EAD
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kb64a79450c-a9df-456a-84e9-eb6a048c0923
AAG.GCA
AAG
- Record ID
- ebl-1643208220039-1643210181403-2
1 result(s)
-
The Garden Club of America collection
sova.aag.gca
- Creator
- Garden Club of America
- Names
- New York Flower Show
- Topic
- Gardens -- France
- Gardens -- Italy
- Gardens -- Japan
- Gardens -- Mexico
- Flower shows
- Gardening -- United States -- societies, etc
- Gardens -- England
- Landscape architecture
- Gardens -- United States
- Gardens -- Spain
- Gardens -- Scotland
- Creator
- Garden Club of America
- See more items in
- The Garden Club of America collection
- Sponsor
- A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.
- Summary
- The Garden Club of America Collection at the Smithsonian's Archives of American Gardens contains over 100,000 images (lantern slides, 35mm slides, photographs, and digital images) and garden files that document thousands of historic and contemporary gardens (public and private) across the United States. Each garden file includes a range of documentation such as descriptive information, photocopied articles from journals, newspapers, or books, planting lists, correspondence, and/or landscape plans and drawings. These files have been compiled by members of The Garden Club of America (GCA). Some of the gardens in the GCA Collection have been photographed over the course of several decades; others are documented at a single point in time. In addition to images of American gardens, there are glass lantern slides of the New York Flower Show (1941-1951) and trips that GCA members took to other countries, including Mexico (1937), Italy, Spain, Japan (1935), France (1936), England (1929), and Scotland. A number of the slides are copies of historic images from outside repositories including horticultural and historical societies or from horticultural books and publications. The GCA made a concerted effort in the mid-1980s to acquire these images in order to increase its documentation of American garden history. Because of copyright considerations, use of these particular images may be restricted.
- Accruals note
- The GCA continues to document American gardens and submit images and documentation to the Archives of American Gardens. Further accruals are expected.
- Biographical/Historical note
- The Garden Club of America was established in 1913 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, when the Garden Club of Philadelphia and eleven other garden clubs met to create a national garden club. Its purpose is to foster the knowledge and love of gardening and to restore and protect the quality of the environment through educational programs and gardening and conservation efforts. The GCA was incorporated in Delaware in 1923, with its headquarters established in New York City. Today, local clubs are organized under twelve regional zones. The GCA continues its tradition of hosting flower shows and publishing material related to gardening in the United States. The GCA's glass lantern slides were used by The GCA for presentations and lectures about notable gardens throughout the United States dating back to colonial times. An effort was made in the late 1980s, in preparation of the 75th anniversary of the Garden Club of America's founding, to collect the disbursed slides. These slides were to eventually form the Slide Library of Notable American Parks and Gardens. The informational value of this collection is extensive since a number of images of the more than 4,500 gardens represented show garden designs that have changed over time or no longer exist. While the majority of images document a range of designed upper and upper-middle class gardens throughout the U.S., the scope of the collection is expanding as volunteers photograph and document contemporary gardens including community and vernacular gardens. The gardens illustrate the design work of dozens of landscape architects including Marian Coffin, Beatrix Farrand, Lawrence Halprin, Hare & Hare, Umberto Innocenti, Gertrude Jekyll, Jens Jensen, Warren Manning, the Olmsted Brothers, Charles Platt, Ellen Biddle Shipman, and Fletcher Steele. Because of their proximity to the gardens, works of notable architects and sculptors may also be featured in the images.
- Extent
- 37000 Slides (photographs) (35mm slides)
- 33 Linear feet ((garden files))
- 3,000 Lantern slides
- Date
- circa 1920-present
- Custodial History note
- The GCA's Slide Library of Notable American Parks and Gardens was donated to the Smithsonian Institution in 1992; this became the core collection of the Archives of American Gardens.
- Archival Repository
- Archives of American Gardens
- Identifier
- AAG.GCA
- Type
- Collection descriptions
- Archival materials
- Slides (photographs)
- Lantern slides
- Plans (drawings)
- Brochures
- Articles
- Correspondence
- Clippings
- Citation
- Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
- Rights
- Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
- Genre/Form
- Plans (drawings)
- Brochures
- Articles
- Correspondence
- Clippings
- Lantern slides
- Slides (photographs)
- Restrictions
- Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
AAG.GCALarge EADhttps://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kb617385372-1028-4cb7-b07d-04fea2e51c47AAG.GCAAAG- Record ID
- ebl-1562776092361-1562776095300-0