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Kansas City -- Westvue (also known as Peters Garden)

Smithsonian Gardens

Object Details

General
The Georgian Revival red brick house was built circa 1915 on a 3.5-acre property with mature woodland perimeters. The landscape designed when the house was built has survived although individual elements have been changed by successive owners, including replacing a formal flower garden with a swimming pool. The house is approached through an ornate iron gate with two old Burr oaks, and an allée of sugar maples leading to a circular drive that surrounds a three-tier fountain and garden. White hydrangea, weeping cherry, a mature swap ash, rustic flagstones bordered by creeping thyme and old wire seating under umbrellas comprise this garden. There are old limestone retaining walls facing the street and behind the house as the property slopes downward. A stone wall fountain and pond behind the house, installed in the 1930's, has koi and waterlilies. The gardens behind the house include a parterre with a mature rainbow bark ash, three Japanese maples along the walkway, two varieties of dogwood, magnolia, spruce, arborvitae, hydrangeas, cedar, topiary boxwood, juniper and yew, azalea, and liriope. The spacious lawns that were dotted with trees were amended with steppingstone and gravel walkways, and a river rock course for drainage. Among the numerous trees are sugar maple, redbud, crape myrtle, white pine, and black walnut. There is an enclosed gazebo, seating areas, and gardenalia including statues and inherited iron urns and other pieces. At the edge of the formal parterre there is a lattice and arch structure that leads to the prairie garden flagstone walkway. The prairie garden replaces lawn, is never watered and is mowed just once a year, giving space to wildlife and a certified bird sanctuary. Here there are river birch, beech, weeping cherry, rose of Sharon, and honeysuckle among other trees and shrubs. The lowest and wettest portion has a foot bridge and an unexpected rose garden that thrives despite shade and wet feet. Persons associated with the garden's design: Hare and Hare (landscape architects, 1915-1924); Tony Hall, (garden design and maintenance, 2011- ), Judith King (former owner and garden designer, 2000-2023).
Photographer
Dringenberg, Beth
Sands, V. Craig
Schultz, Cathy
Landscape architect
Hare & Hare
Garden designer
Hall, Tony
Provenance
The Garden Club of Honolulu
Former owner
King, Judith
Collection Creator
Garden Club of America
Place
United States of America -- Missouri -- Jackson -- Kansas City
Westvue (Kansas City, Missouri)
Topic
Gardens -- Missouri -- Kansas City
Formal gardens
Prairie gardening
Woodland gardens
Photographer
Dringenberg, Beth
Sands, V. Craig
Schultz, Cathy
Landscape architect
Hare & Hare
Garden designer
Hall, Tony
Provenance
The Garden Club of Honolulu
Former owner
King, Judith
See more items in
The Garden Club of America collection
The Garden Club of America collection / Series 1: United States Gardens / Missouri
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 Garden Club of Honolulu facilitated the submission of this garden's documentation.
Archival Repository
Archives of American Gardens
Identifier
AAG.GCA, File MO066
Type
Archival materials
Digital images
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 Houses of Missouri: 1870-1940 by Cydney Millstein and Carol Grove, Acanthus Press, 2008, pp. 166-169; Kansas City Houses: 1885-1938 by Michael C. Kathrens, Bauer and Dean Publishers in association with Minnesota Prairie Wind Foundation, pp. 152-158; Kansas City's Historic Union Cemetery by Judith King and Bruce Mathews, Kansas City Star Books, 2014, pp. 118-122; Hare & Hare, Landscape Architects and City Planners by Carol Grove and Cydney Millstein, the University of Georgia Press, Athens, Georgia.
Genre/Form
Digital images
Scope and Contents
23 digital images (2024) and 1 digital file folder with historic images.
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 link
Record ID
ebl-1643208220039-1643210181530-2
Metadata Usage
CC0
GUID
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kb608b2fe50-5dc4-40e2-8afd-69be9639c7d4

Related Content

  • The Garden Club of America collection

Kansas City -- Westvue (also known as Peter Garden)
View Slideshow
There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .
International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
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