Object Details
- General
- Rosegate is a private, personal garden on a plain, sloping city half-acre, transformed into a world of four-season beauty around a cottage. Conifers and cedar fences provide year-round privacy. In spring, delicate wild flowers bloom in a "secret" garden, along with flowering crabapples and dogwoods. From May into November the collection of hundreds of roses blooms on the other side of the garden gate. With over 35 years of experience, the owner-gardeners have more than 400 roses of 10 different American Rose Society classifications: hybrid teas, floribundas, grandifloras, miniatures, ground covers, polyanthas, hybrid perpetual, climbers, hybrid rugosas, and shrubs. There are 22 tree (or standard) roses throughout the property. Roses are chosen not only for hardiness and disease resistance but for their beauty, color, and scent. Flowering trees, ornamentals, hostas, ground covers, and perennials complete this world of beauty.
- Persons and firms associated with the property and garden include: Brenton Realty Company (former owners, before 1940); Gordon and Kathryn Gammack (former owners, 1940-1945); Virginia and Kenneth W. Hull (former owners, 1945-1946); Charles H. and Letha Patterson (former owners, 1946-1948); Wallace J. Burt, Jr., and Alice Burt (former owners, 1948-1950); J. D. and Helen T. Lightner (former owners, 1950-1954); James F. Swift (former owner, 1954-1965); John Normile (architect, 1940); Herb Nelson Landscaping (landscape designers, 1965); Ann Wallace Fleming (landscape designer, 1966-1975); Oren Herndon (landscape designer and contractor, 1966-1967); Des Moines Seed and Nursery (landscape designers and contractors, 1966-1967); Bo Cleveland (gardener, 1968); Ella Crittenden (landscape designer, 1970); Jack Bloodgood (architect and designer, 1970); Russ O'Hara (landscape designer and horticultural consultant, 1970-1980); Lynda M. Chase (landscape designer and photographer, 1981-2001); E. Scott Reiter (landscape designer, 1982); Karen Strohbeen (landscape designer and artist, 1983); and William Luchsinger (landscape designer and artist, 1983).
- Former owner
- Gammack, Gordon
- Gammack, Kathryn
- Hull, Virginia
- Hull, Kenneth W.
- Patterson, Charles H.
- Patterson, Letha
- Burt, Alice
- Burt, Wallace J., Jr.
- Lightner, Helen T.
- Lightner, J. D.
- Swift, James F.
- Architect
- Normile, John
- Landscape designer
- Fleming, Ann Wallace
- Herndon, Oren
- Landscape contractor
- Herndon, Oren
- Gardener
- Cleveland, Bo
- Landscape designer
- Crittenden, Ella
- Architect
- Bloodgood, Jack
- Designer
- Bloodgood, Jack
- Landscape designer
- O'Hara, Russ
- Horticultural consultant
- O'Hara, Russ
- Landscape designer
- Chase, Lynda M.
- Photographer
- Chase, Lynda M.
- Landscape designer
- Reiter, E. Scott
- Strohbeen, Karen
- Artist
- Strohbeen, Karen
- Landscape designer
- Luchsinger, William
- Artist
- Luchsinger, William
- Former owner
- Brenton Realty Company
- Landscape designer
- Herb Nelson Landscaping
- Des Moines Seed and Nursery
- Landscape contractor
- Des Moines Seed and Nursery
- Provenance
- Des Moines Founders Garden Club
- Collection Creator
- Garden Club of America
- Place
- Rosegate (Des Moines, Iowa)
- United States of America -- Iowa -- Polk County -- Des Moines
- Topic
- Gardens -- Iowa -- Des Moines
- Former owner
- Gammack, Gordon
- Gammack, Kathryn
- Hull, Virginia
- Hull, Kenneth W.
- Patterson, Charles H.
- Patterson, Letha
- Burt, Alice
- Burt, Wallace J., Jr.
- Lightner, Helen T.
- Lightner, J. D.
- Swift, James F.
- Architect
- Normile, John
- Landscape designer
- Fleming, Ann Wallace
- Herndon, Oren
- Landscape contractor
- Herndon, Oren
- Gardener
- Cleveland, Bo
- Landscape designer
- Crittenden, Ella
- Architect
- Bloodgood, Jack
- Designer
- Bloodgood, Jack
- Landscape designer
- O'Hara, Russ
- Horticultural consultant
- O'Hara, Russ
- Landscape designer
- Chase, Lynda M.
- Photographer
- Chase, Lynda M.
- Landscape designer
- Reiter, E. Scott
- Strohbeen, Karen
- Artist
- Strohbeen, Karen
- Landscape designer
- Luchsinger, William
- Artist
- Luchsinger, William
- Former owner
- Brenton Realty Company
- Landscape designer
- Herb Nelson Landscaping
- Des Moines Seed and Nursery
- Landscape contractor
- Des Moines Seed and Nursery
- Provenance
- Des Moines Founders Garden Club
- See more items in
- The Garden Club of America collection
- The Garden Club of America collection / Series 1: United States Garden Images / Iowa
- 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
- Des Moines Founders Garden Club facilitated the submission of this garden's documentation.
- Archival Repository
- Archives of American Gardens
- Identifier
- AAG.GCA, File IA011
- 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
- Garden has been featured in Lillian McLaughlin, "Just Hooked on Roses," Des Moines Tribune, July 23, 1979. Garden has been featured in Carol McGarvey, "They Love Roses by Any Name," The Des Moines Register, September 17, 1988. Garden has been featured in The Iowan, Spring 1990. Garden has been featured in Emily A. Roush, "Show Time for Roses," The Des Moines Register, June 24, 2000. Garden has been featured in Timothy Skeers, "Rose Care Q & A," Garden Ideas & Outdoor Living, Spring 2002, pp. 84-88. Garden has been featured in Melissa Myers, "Garden Renamed for Couple," The Des Moines Register, February 6, 2002.
- Scope and Contents
- The folder includes a worksheet, a garden plan, a detailed narrative description of the property and garden, a plant list, and photocopies of articles about the garden.
- 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-1643208220039-1643210179587-0
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