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Natchez -- Bontura

Smithsonian Gardens

Object Details

Former Title
Evansview
General
"Bontura" Garden is a garden in two parts, which is divided front from back by a narrow brick carriage area. Three Moorish arch entrances define the front of this building. A brick wall marks the left garden side, while the house, built in 1851, creates the right side of the garden. Across the front is an iron fence of open vertical bars. Major plants in the front space area Southern magnolia tree, a large crape myrtle tree, the largest in Mississippi, and a large banana shrub/tree. Camellia Sasanquas are along the whole left wall. Two thirty-feet tall English Boxwoods are in front of the carriage house, along with Fatsia, ferns, camellias and the large magnolia tree. Azaleas are planted near the house and at corners. The back garden space has Lady Banksia roses, white and yellow, across the full left wall. A dogwood graces the back fence and is part of a flower bed filled with various annuals and perennials as the seasons change. The back garden is entered through a door from within the carriage area.
Persons associated with the garden include: Frances Asberry Newcomb (former owner, 1833); Edward Graham (former owner, 1834-1837); Robert Patterson (former owner, 1837-1839); Robert D. Smith (former owner, 1851-1854); Ann Smith (former owner, 1854-1858); Joseph Bontura (former owner, 1860-1874); Fanny Bontura Hendricks (former owner, 1874); Mrs. Angie Pogue and Mrs. Theresa Pullen (former owners, 1903-1916); Rumble and Wensel Co. Inc. (former owner, 1916-1940); Hugh H. and Gladys C. Evans (former owners, 1940-1962); National Society of the Colonial Dames of America (former owners, 1962-1995); and J. Donald Walp (landscape architect, 1964).
Former owner
Bontura, Fanny
Garner, H. Hal
Landscape architect
Walp, John Donald
Former owner
National Society of the Colonial Dames of America
Provenance
Pilgrimage Garden Club
Collection Creator
Garden Club of America
Place
Bontura (Natchez, Mississippi)
United States of America -- Mississippi -- Adams County -- Natchez
Topic
Gardens -- Mississippi -- Natchez
Former owner
Bontura, Fanny
Garner, H. Hal
Landscape architect
Walp, John Donald
Former owner
National Society of the Colonial Dames of America
Provenance
Pilgrimage Garden Club
See more items in
The Garden Club of America collection
The Garden Club of America collection / Series 1: United States Gardens / Mississippi
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 Pilgrimage Garden Club facilitated the submission of this garden's documentation.
Archival Repository
Archives of American Gardens
Identifier
AAG.GCA, File MS034
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 featured in Mary Warren Miller and Ronald W. Miller, The Great Houses of Natchez (Jackson, Mississippi: University Press of Mississippi, 1986), pp. 104-105. Garden featured in Nola Nance Oliver, This Too is Natchez (New York: Hastings House, 1953), pp. 13-14. Garden featured in Hugh Howard, Natchez: The Houses and History of the Jewel of the Mississippi (New York: Rizzoli, International Publications, Inc., 2003), pp. 163-165. Garden featured in Reid Smith and John Owens, The Majesty of Natchez (Gretna: Pelican Publishing Company, 1982), pp. 35-36.
Scope and Contents
The folder includes a worksheet; site plans; a plant list; copies of book entries and newspaper articles; history of property; and garden tour brochures.
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
Bontura related holdings consist of 2 folders (13 35mm. slides)
Related link
Record ID
ebl-1643208220039-1643210181417-1
Metadata Usage
CC0
GUID
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kb628039d94-9a0b-4e27-95fa-5e006b5809b5

Related Content

  • The Garden Club of America collection

Natchez -- Bontura
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