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Ellen Shipman Garden Photography Collection

Smithsonian Gardens

Object Details

General
About half of the negatives were originally housed in paper sleeves, most of which were labelled with the client name. The rest were in unlabelled boxes and account for most of the unidentified gardens in the collection. The lantern slides were housed in a slotted box with the title 'Harvard University' written on the inside of the cover. None of the photographic images were captioned or dated; the garden plans specify the client and location.
Landscape architect
Shipman, Ellen Biddle, 1869-1950
Topic
Gardens -- United States
Provenance
Taylor Belcher, III and Anthony W. Belcher donated the collection to the Archives of American Gardens in 2021.
Landscape architect
Shipman, Ellen Biddle, 1869-1950
See more items in
Ellen Shipman Garden Photography Collection
Sponsor
Cataloging of the Ellen Shipman Garden Photography Collection was made possible with support from the Smithsonian American Women's History Initiative Pool, administered by the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum.
Biographical / Historical
Ellen (Biddle) Shipman (1869-1950) was a pioneering landscape architect who designed hundreds of gardens throughout the United States from the late 1910s thoughout the 1940s. She was mentored by architect and landscape architect Charles A Platt and gained professional experience in his office. Shipman made a point of hiring women to work in her Manhattan office. Most of her commissions were for private clients, though she did design several public spaces including school campuses, library grounds, and memorials.
Extent
.48 Cubic feet (3 boxes, film negatives, glass plate negatives, glass lantern slides, and autochromes)
Date
circa 1903-1950
Archival Repository
Archives of American Gardens
Identifier
AAG.SHP
Type
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Citation
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, Ellen Shipman garden photography collection.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged geographically by state, according to the location of the garden.
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.
Existence and Location of Copies
The Ellen McGowan Biddle Shipman papers, 1914-1946, Collection Number 1259 in the Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections at Cornell University Library include copies of some of the images in this collection.
Content Description
The Ellen Shipman Garden Photography Collection consists of (350) film and glass plate negatives, glass lantern slides, and autochromes that document over fifty gardens designed by landscape architect Ellen Shipman. The negatives copy photographs and plans from Shipman's office and are not the original 'masters.'
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
Cornell University Library's Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections includes the Ellen McGowan Biddle Shipman papers, 1914-1946, Collection Number 1259.
Related link
Record ID
ebl-1633519809253-1633519809257-0
Metadata Usage
CC0
GUID
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kb60d1a7f1c-01f7-4ea5-b9b3-8ea2cf0bd775

In the Collection

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  • Smith Garden: House and terrace with flower bed borders.

  • Rippowam: Waterfall in stream garden.

  • Uplands: Landscape architecture drawing of formal garden.

  • Topsfield: Stone terrace with balustrade, urns, table, benches, and chairs.

  • Unidentified Garden(s): Retaining wall with flowerbed featuring tulips in front of hedges and ornamental trees.

  • New Orleans -- Longue Vue Gardens

  • Rose Terrace: View of casino and swimming pool.

  • Homeside: Landscape architecture drawing of flower garden.

  • Chatham Manor: House, outbuilding, and parterre.

  • Unidentified Garden(s): Steps from terrace garden to lawn space with boxwood bordered flower beds.

  • Unidentified Location -- Unidentified Garden(s)

  • Unidentified Garden(s): Clapboard house surrounded by trees and shrubs.

  • Aetna Life and Casualty Insurance Company: Sidewalk and trees along building.

  • Alexandria -- Mount Vernon

  • FitzSimons Garden: View of house during garden construction.

  • Grosse Pointe -- FitzSimons Garden

  • Unidentified Garden: Path with double flower borders and stone wall on one side.

  • Louisiana

  • Unidentified Garden(s): Field in front of stone house nestled among trees.

  • Unidentified Garden(s): Medallion detail on stone wall behind small lily pond with potted plants.

  • Unidentified Location -- Unidentified Garden(s)

  • Groton -- Lowthorpe School of Landscape Architecture

  • Rose Terrace: Parterre.

  • Topsfield: Stone walk and flower beds leading to terrace with balustrade, urns, table, and seating.

  • Achelis Garden: Gravel walk and flower beds.

  • Hartford -- Aetna Life and Casualty Insurance Company

  • Texas

  • Unidentified Garden(s): Cast-iron seating on small terrace with brick wall and path bordered by flowerbeds featuring tulips.

  • Unidentified Garden(s): Brick patio bordered by flowerbeds featuring irises in front of house with covered-porch.

  • The Hedges: Landscape architecture drawing of gardens around residence.

  • Unidentified Garden(s): Field in front of stone house with stone retaining walls around the terrace.

  • Starboard Cottage: View of water from flower garden.

  • Barbour Garden: Stone lined stream and birdhouse.

  • Topsfield: Lawn terrace and patio with shrub border.

  • Gladstone -- Hamilton Farms

  • Mount Kisco -- Penwood

  • Clapp Garden: Terrace garden and fountain with central statue.

  • Unidentified Garden(s): Climbing plants on stone facade with arched windows.

  • Barbour Garden: Stone terrace with waterfall and small pond.

  • Unidentified Garden(s): Intersection of garden walks through flower beds, and garden gate with trellis design.

  • Bohemia Manor: House, flower beds, path, and sundial.

  • Chatham Manor: Parterre with statue at intersection point.

  • Unidentified Garden(s): Stone steps leading from brick patio to house bordered on one side by retaining wall of large boulders planted with flowers and shrubs.

  • Edgeroad: Rectangular lawn with perennial border.

  • Fynmere: Brick stairs to birdbath bordered by flower beds.

  • White Plains -- Homeside

  • Old Farm: Stone path through flower beds.

  • Owl's Nest: Stone and gravel paths.

  • Fynmere: View from terrace.

  • Alger Garden: Pool and bathhouse.

  • Barbour Garden: Walled lawn with small pool and flowering tree.

  • Rose Terrace: Lawn lined with shrubs and sculpture.

  • Unidentified Garden(s): Woodland garden with ferns and rectangular pool.

  • Aetna Life and Casualty Insurance Company: Building and sidewalk lined with small trees.

  • Grosse Pointe Farms -- Rose Terrace

  • Connecticut

  • Starboard Cottage: Old fashioned flower garden with bench.

  • Topsfield: Driveway leading to house.

  • Wenham -- Old Farm

  • Overfields: House with walled lawn bordered by shrubs and flowers.

  • Fynmere: Flower garden and brick path beside stone house.

  • Unidentified Garden(s): House and brick patio with central fountain surrounded by potted plants.

  • Mitchell Garden: Steps leading from terrace to rose garden.

  • Halfred Farms: House with porch leading to lawn lined with flower beds and shrubs.

  • Unidentified Garden(s): Clapboard house with semi-circular porch behind garden construction with large felled trees.

  • Edgeroad: Path through flower beds to statue on pedestal.

  • Unidentified Garden(s): Stone house with stone retaining walls around lawn terrace.

  • Unidentified Garden(s): Stone terrace lined with potted plants beside lawn with flower and shrub borders.

  • Unidentified Garden: House and walled flower garden with sundial.

  • Fynmere: View of terrace along ivy-covered house with hand written caption.

  • Unidentified Garden(s): Stone terrace with birdbath surrounded by mixed border plantings featuring tulips and stone wall.

  • Unidentified Garden: Path in flower garden in front of covered porch.

  • Barbour Garden: Lawn with shade tree and flower and shrub borders.

  • North Mowing: Stone terrace with potted plants and views of mountains.

  • Penwood: Winding garden path through flower beds with trees.

  • Overfields: Path from flower garden to lawn garden.

  • Kentucky

  • Rippowam: Reflecting pool with Diana sculpture.

  • Barbour Garden: Woods with waterfall and stone-lined stream.

  • Chatham Manor: Path through flowerbeds with box borders.

  • Topsfield: Large fountain sculpture in walled, flower garden.

  • Rose Terrace: Reflecting pool on the lawn.

  • Unidentified Garden(s): Garden construction area with tools stuck in the dirt and wheelbarrow holding full sacks.

  • Michigan

  • Unidentified Garden(s): Construction area with steps to house and stone retaining walls.

  • Edgeroad: Landscape architecture drawing of gardens around residence.

  • Lowthorpe School of Landscape Architecture: Landscape architecture drawing of the student's herb garden.

  • Aetna Life and Casualty Insurance Company: Pergola covered with climbing plants on rooftop garden with balustrade.

  • Unidentified Garden: Path through flower garden leading to house.

  • Alger Garden: Swimming pool and bathhouse.

  • Penwood: Neoclassical cast-iron seating furniture in front of hedges and flower border.

  • Unidentified Location -- Unidentified Garden(s)

  • Aetna Life and Casualty Insurance Company: Lawn with clipped hedges.

  • Unidentified Garden(s): Rectangular lawn with flower and shrub border and seating area at the end.

  • Smith Garden: Bench in flower garden.

  • Plainfield -- Brook Place

  • Ripplebrook Farm: Walled lawn with circular bench around shade tree.

  • Unidentified Garden(s): Flagstone walk through flower beds with fruit trees and shrubs.

  • Unidentified Garden(s): Stone house surrounded by dirt from gardens under construction.

  • Chatham Manor: Parterre with central statue in front of outbuilding with attached pergola.

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[Achelis Garden]:
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