Object Details
- General
- Gardened by the same family since 1949 this 1.3 acre property with a "modern colonial style" house on stilts designed by the original owner features trees and shrubs. The temperatures at the coastal New England location are moderated by its proximity to water but the garden is subjected to high winds, salt air and, originally, thin rocky soil that was improved with homemade compost. The garden was planned for year round interest with trees and shrubs that would flower or fruit every month and conifers and broad leaved evergreens for winter. Lower limbs on some of the trees were removed to open the view to the bay, and the house was raised on stilts for the same reason. There are winding grassy paths throughout the gardens with narrow stone paths leading to the front door of the house and to the formal sunken garden. Many of the boxwood, hollies, junipers and rhododendron were rooted cuttings planted in the 1950's that have grown to full size while dwarf conifers have outgrown their cultivar status.
- The planned succession of bloom times for this garden started in spring with magnolias and andomedas, followed by azaleas, crabapple and dogwood, then Japanese snowbell, hydrangeas and stewartia. Sourwood bloomed in august, franklinia in September, roses would continue blooming into November, and hollies provided color and decorative material in December. Specimen trees that are featured include blue China fir, dawn redwood, paperbark maple, a red jade crabapple, and several cut leaved red Japanese maples. Vegetable and rose gardens, irises and some perennial flowers have been added to the tree and shrub gardens over the years.
- Persons associated with the garden include Julian and Suzanne Underwood (former owners, 1949-2001) Joan Underwood (current owner (2001- ); Suzanne Stockard Underwood (architect and garden designer, 1949-2001); Julian Underwood (architect, circa 1948); John Brum (gardener, 1960's-); Nate Atwater (sculptor, prior to 1985); Nancy Train Smith (sculptor, prior to 1999); Ron Rudnicki (sculptor of fish pond, 2003); Walter Gonet (garden shed construction, 1995).
- Former owner
- Underwood, Julian
- Architect
- Underwood, Julian
- Former owner
- Underwood, Suzanne
- Garden designer
- Underwood, Suzanne
- Gardener
- Brum, John
- Sculptor
- Atwater, Nate
- Smith, Nancy Train
- Rudnicki, Ron
- Construction
- Gonet, Walter
- Provenance
- Garden Club of Buzzards Bay
- Collection Creator
- Garden Club of America
- Place
- The Underwood Garden (South Dartmouth, Massachusetts)
- United States of America -- Massachusetts -- Bristol -- South Dartmouth
- Topic
- Gardens -- Massachusetts -- South Dartmouth
- Former owner
- Underwood, Julian
- Architect
- Underwood, Julian
- Former owner
- Underwood, Suzanne
- Garden designer
- Underwood, Suzanne
- Gardener
- Brum, John
- Sculptor
- Atwater, Nate
- Smith, Nancy Train
- Rudnicki, Ron
- Construction
- Gonet, Walter
- Provenance
- Garden Club of Buzzards Bay
- See more items in
- The Garden Club of America collection
- The Garden Club of America collection / Series 1: United States Gardens / Massachusetts
- 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.
- Biographical / Historical
- Suzanne Marjorie Stockard Underwood (1917-2001) was one of the first women to graduate with a master's degree in 1943 from the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University in Cambridge. She was a pioneering modernist architect who worked with Marcel Breuer drafting and building models. In addition to practicing architecture, she was a skilled landscape designer.
- Custodial History
- The Garden Club of Buzzards Bay facilitated the submission of this garden's documentation.
- Archival Repository
- Archives of American Gardens
- Identifier
- AAG.GCA, File MA321
- 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 "House on Stilts" by Julian and Suzanne Underwood, published in Architectural Forum, Time-Life, June 1951.
- Scope and Contents
- The folder includes worksheets and photocopies of original plans and an article.
- 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.
- Record ID
- ebl-1643208220039-1643210181043-2
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South Dartmouth -- The Underwood Garden
