Faulkner Farm: German Iris

Object Details

General note: See AAG Image # MA044116 for black and white print version of this image. (Glass lantern slide view is reversed.); Charles Sprague was a lawyer but interested in politics and owner of the elaborate house and gardens of Faulkner Farms. The twenty acre property which once was owned by Charles Faulkner, named the farm after him. In 1893, the Spragues retained architect Herbert Brown of the Boston firm, Little, Brown and Moore. Sprague also asked Fredrick Law Olmsted's son John to site the house and driveway. The relationship between the client, architect and landscape architect were difficult.; In 1895, Charles Eliot of the Olmsted office was in charge of the Faulkner Farm job. Sprague was looking for a formally planted area with the preservation of agricultural lowland. Dissatisfied with the Olmsted firm, they had met Charles A. Pratt. Platt designed an Italian garden and a series of terraces to the farmland below. At the north and south are terraces that lead into a formal garden with brick walls, pergola and loggias. There are also ornamental wellheads, sculptures and topiary in terra cotta planters.

Landscape architect: Little & Browne, Architect; Olmsted Brothers
Creator: Brandegee Place
Landscape architect: Platt, Charles A. (Charles Adams), 1861-1933
Creator: Sprague, Charles F.; Browne, Herbert W. C. (Architect)
Landscape architect: Eliot, Charles
Collection Creator: McFarland, J. Horace (John Horace), 1859-1948; American Rose Society

Place: United States of America -- Massachusetts -- Norfolk County -- Brookline

Topic: Garden borders; Lawns; Irises (Plants); Wisteria; Tables; Walls (building); Vines; Trellises; Sculpture; Gates; Finials; Benches; Chairs; Outdoor furniture

See more items in: J. Horace McFarland Company collection; J. Horace McFarland Company collection / Series 1: Garden Images / United States / Massachusetts / MA044: Brookline -- Faulkner Farm

Collection Citation: Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, J. Horace McFarland Company Collection.

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