Subscribe to RSSAt Dumbarton Oaks there is always a special place to sit…
In Washington, D.C. there is a magnificent 10-acre garden tucked away in Georgetown which is loaded with special places to just sit and take in the view. Granted, I have many, many more gardens to visit but so far, among the many I have visited, Dumbarton Oaks remains a favorite! The benches and seats which dot the hillside of Dumbarton Oaks are perfectly-placed, romantic havens for travelers with tired feet. The Bee has featured this garden many times before and I’ve often mentioned this is an ideal garden to sit and read a book.
The Kidney Bench © Britt Conley
This grand cypress bench, (seen above) is just one of many designed by famed landscape designer Beatrix Farrand. This English-style landscape is a fantastic place to sit and get away from it all.
According to Dumbarton Oaks, Mildred and Robert Woods, the one time owners of this grand estate, “hired Beatrix Farrand to design the gardens. Working in happy and close collaboration for almost thirty years, Mildred Bliss and Beatrix Farrand planned every garden detail, each terrace, bench, urn, and border.” The benches themselves are works of art. They are beautifully designed for each space and perfectly offset their setting within their structure.
The Rose Garden Bench © Britt Conley
Farrand also designed this lovely teak bench (above) for the Rose Garden in 1930.
The Ellipse Bench © Britt Conley
The Ellipse benches sit beneath wonderful American Hornbeams which are trimmed into perfect square tops by the end of the growing season. This lovely quiet area surrounds a fountain. Its water is the only sound you’ll hear.
The central fountain © Britt Conley
The Stone Garden Seats © Britt Conley
The Trellis and Chairs were designed in 1932 by Farrand and are made of Redwood. When replacements were brought in they substituted Western Red Cedar. The seats overlook the grand pebble garden. In the long view (below), the seats are to our left and in the center of the garden.
The Stone Sheath of Wheat © Britt Conley
In the corner of the pebble garden, (below) rests this wonderful little bench area. It’s a great place to sit and hear the crunching pebbles as other visitors wander by.
The Stone Garden Bench © Britt Conley
This spectacular, vibrant 1933 Farrand bench is in the Italian Garden. It is made of aluminum and oak. Just beautifully designed.
The Italian Garden Bench © Britt Conley
The bench is tucked away to the right of the stairways in this image below. It is positioned front and center for the best garden viewing.
Coming from the Rose Garden © Britt Conley
Next to the Italian Garden at Dumbarton Oaks is a terraced arbor garden. At the wall’s edge are two fantastic benches also designed by Farrand.
The Side Italian Garden Bench © Britt Conley
I absolutely love this bench (above). The view off the patio provides lovely overall of the hillside slope and the gardens beyond. Designed it in 1938, these benches are made of teak, iron and oak.
The Bench on the Hill © Britt Conley
Each Farrand bench is unique and fits its surroundings. This 1934 cypress bench on the hill (above) is made of cypress and lead. Farrand completed it with its own arbor. I am not sure what she had originally intended for the arbor, wisteria perhaps? The view is spectacular and again offers a wonderful place for the walking weary.
The Walkway Bench © Britt Conley
One of my very favorite places to walk and sit when the skies look like there going to sprinkle is this covered brick path that runs the length of the kitchen garden (seen to the right in the image).
Finally, this fantastic Farrand teak and iron bench, fit for a queen, sits with another at the far end of the Herbaceous Border in its own hedge lined outdoor room with a opening to view the entire Herbaceous garden.
The Herbaceous Border Bench © Britt Conley
I have sat here many a time with my laptop and books while working on my masters degree. Being close to so many Universities in the area, Dumbarton Oaks is often visited by students when even the libraries aren’t quiet enough. It’s a phenomenal destination garden to think.
The herbaceous border bench © Britt Conley
The view of course is tremendous from Spring through Fall!
The Spring Herbaceous Border © Britt Conley
To see the other features on Dumbarton Oaks just click here. It’s the very first garden I ever featured on The Photo Garden Bee and it’s the reason why I started this blog.
As for this Bee, I’m hoping it will snow just enough tomorrow that I can enjoy photographing Dumbarton Oaks covered in a lovely dusting of white. Hopefully there won’t be so much snow that they’ll have to close their gates. Wish me luck!
‘Til Tomorrow…
Britt : )
Related posts:
- Part II: The Dumbarton Oaks’ Rose Garden
- Part III: The Stone Garden at Dumbarton Oaks
- Romance and Wandering at Dumbarton Oaks
- Part IV : The Herbaceous Garden of Dumbarton Oaks
- Dumbarton Oaks: The Ellipse
1 Comments
2011-01-21
09:56:11
absolutely exquisite photos! I actually moved to DC to live near Dumbarton Oaks when I was young....left after the summer but what a summer! I loved it....check out my garden blog.