Episode 158: Beatrix Farrand Garden

The walled garden at Bellefield was originally created by one of America's most celebrated landscape architects, Beatrix Farrand (1872-1959), Renowned for the gardens she designed for some prestigious private universities and colleges, Bellefield represents a prime example of American garden design and one of Farrand's few surviving private commissions.

In 1911, Beatrix was asked to design a garden adjacent to a newly renovated house at Bellefield in Hyde Park, NY. She was influenced by several well-known landscape architects and garden designers early in her career and applied what she learned to this residential design commission located at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Historic Site.

The garden stretches from a terrace attached to the house and is enclosed by a stone wall and a hemlock hedge. The garden is divided into three 'rooms' defined by gravel walks, long planting beds, and areas of open lawn. The garden is laid out in forced perspective so that the sequentially smaller garden rooms further away from the house create the impression of a much larger space.

The planting beds along the gravelled walks and lawn are filled with layers of color with plants spilling over the vertical stone edging and taller plants stand next to the garden walls. The original plans also depicted an outline of a natural or wild garden beyond the walled area that incorporated several existing trees. The vegetation in this area was to serve as a transition to the surrounding lawns and trees.

Bellefield was donated to the National Park Service in 1976 to provide a protective buffer for the adjacent Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site. The garden was carefully put to bed until 1993 when it was restored by the Beatrix Farrand Garden Association in partnership with the National Park Service. The restoration contains a stunning display of composed borders washed in pink, white, blush, cream, grey, mauve and purple. surrounded by vine covered walls and well maintained hemlock hedges.

Karen Waltuch talked with the Nature Calls: Conversations from the Hudson Valley podcast team to discuss more of the history of the Garden, what can be found there, how to visit it, and how to volunteer there. Karen joined the Beatrix Farrand Garden Association in 2018 after working at other public parks and gardens over many years. She is also a professional violist who has a diverse performance career.

After listening to this episode, you'll definitely want to visit this hidden gem in New York's Hudson Valley.

Hosts: Tim Kennelty and Jean Thomas

Guest: Karen Waltuch

Photo by: National Park Service

Production Support: Linda Aydlett, Deven Connelly, Teresa Golden, Xandra Powers, Amy Meadow, Annie Scibienski, Robin Smith, Jean Thomas