South Kingstown -- Croftmere Garden
Object Details
- General
- Croftmere's sunken garden has been restored to the Arts & Crafts style designed in 1915 by landscape architect Sibley C. Smith. Adjacent to the 1906 wood shingle-style house the 44 by 74 feet garden room is part of an eight acre property that was part of a larger tract divided in the early 1900s among family members. The sunken garden is entered by descending three rough cut granite steps and surrounded on three sides by crisscross cedar fencing set on stone walls and supported by rough stone columns. At the far end of the garden room steps lead to a stone pergola draped with roses and wisteria. Small millstones are used for tables and a large one is sited on the grass terrace between the house and garden. A rectangular stone-lined lily pond with its original fountain is in the center of the garden room and deep beds of perennial flowers have been planted between the fences and the lawn as part of the restoration. Trimmed boxwood and viburnum, clematis and roses grow on the terrace and on an arbor alongside the house.
- Persons associated with the garden include members of the Cocroft family since 1906; Walter G. Sheldon (1855-1931) (architect, 1906); Sibley C. Smith, ASLA (landscape architect, 1915); Carder Whaley (garden installation, 1916); Linda Lapin (restoration garden designer, 2000); Brenda McCloskey (gardener, 2005- ); Glen McCluster (fence restoration, 2015).
- Former owner
- Cocroft Family
- Architect
- Sheldon, Walter G., 1855-1931
- Landscape architect
- Smith, Sibley Coslett
- Installers
- Whaley, Carder
- Garden designer
- Lapin, Linda
- Restorationist
- Lapin, Linda
- Gardener
- McCloskey, Brenda
- Creator
- McCluster, Glen
- Provenance
- South County Garden Club
- Collection Compiler
- Weller, Eleanor
- Place
- Croftmere Garden (South Kingstown, Rhode Island)
- United States of America -- Rhode Island -- Washington County -- South Kingston -- Matunuck
- Topic
- Gardens -- Rhode Island -- South Kingstown
- Former owner
- Cocroft Family
- Architect
- Sheldon, Walter G., 1855-1931
- Landscape architect
- Smith, Sibley Coslett
- Installers
- Whaley, Carder
- Garden designer
- Lapin, Linda
- Restorationist
- Lapin, Linda
- Gardener
- McCloskey, Brenda
- Creator
- McCluster, Glen
- Provenance
- South County Garden Club
- See more items in
- Eleanor Weller collection
- Eleanor Weller collection / Garden Images / United States / Rhode Island
- Container
- Box 43
- Custodial History
- The South County Garden Club facilitated the 2016 submission of this garden's documentation; the 2003 slides were donated by Eleanor Weller Reade in 2011.
- Archival Repository
- Archives of American Gardens
- Identifier
- AAG.ECW, File RI149
- Type
- Archival materials
- Slides
- Collection Citation
- Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, Eleanor Weller Reade 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 "A Tour of Matunuck behind the Hedges" by Betty J. Cotter, published in The Independent: Arts and Living, June 28, 2012; A Sense of Place, Painters of Matunuck, Rhode Island, 1873-1941 by Lindsay Leard-Coolidge, published by Lyman Allyn Art Museum, New London, Connecticut, 2010, p. 98-100.
- Scope and Contents
- The folder includes worksheets and photocopies of original plants lists and orders.
- 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.
- Related Materials
- Croftmere Garden related holdings consist of 2 folders (8 35mm slides; 35 digital images; 4 reference prints)
- See others in
- Garden Club of America Collection, circa 1920-[ongoing].
- Record ID
- ebl-1530043205252-1530043205326-0
- Metadata Usage
- CC0