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Des Moines -- Rosegate

Smithsonian Gardens

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
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
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 Gardens / 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.
Related Materials
Rosegate related holdings consist of 1 folder (17 35 mm. slides)
Related link
Record ID
ebl-1643208220039-1643210179587-0
Metadata Usage
CC0
GUID
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kb6218b5a20-4359-4c93-a170-40f2b2c0ab5b

Related Content

  • The Garden Club of America collection

Des Moines -- Rosegate
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