Immersion

In 1902, Boston financier and philanthropist Gardiner Martin Lane and his wife, Emma, commissioned the legendary landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted to design a garden that would complement the natural beauty of their seaside estate, The Chimneys. The result was a breathtaking garden, conceived as a series of distinct outdoor rooms, each offering a unique experience while collectively forming a harmonious whole. This design approach, which responded to the estate’s downward sloping topography, exemplified Olmsted's architectural genius and his ability to blend natural landscapes with human-made structures.

At the heart of Olmsted’s design is the Water Terrace, situated high on an oceanside bluff. This terrace is perhaps the most striking feature of the garden, offering visitors a captivating blend of architectural and natural beauty. A rose-covered pergola invites guests to stroll beneath its fragrant canopy, leading them to an ocean-view shelter where they can pause to take in the stunning vistas of the Atlantic. The centerpiece of the Water Terrace is a 2,800-square-foot, five-pool water garden, inspired by the sixteenth-century Villa Lante in Viterbo, Italy. This water garden, with its intricate design and serene atmosphere, reflects Olmsted's mastery of incorporating classical European elements into an American landscape, creating a space that is both grand and intimate.

From the Water Terrace, a series of granite steps descends through the garden’s other rooms, each carefully designed to offer a distinct sensory experience. The Overlook Terrace, shaded by mature trees, provides a cool and tranquil retreat. Moving downwards, visitors encounter the Lavender Terrace, where the air is filled with the soothing scent of lavender, creating a space for relaxation and reflection. The Tea Terrace, with its elegant white-themed design, offers a serene setting for afternoon tea or quiet contemplation.

The garden also features a Vegetable Garden, a practical yet beautiful space that reflects the Lanes’ desire for self-sufficiency and connection to the land. The Crabapple Allée leads visitors through a tunnel of delicate blossoms in spring, transforming into a vibrant display of fruit in autumn. Finally, the journey through the garden concludes in the Rose Garden, a semi-enclosed space that bursts with color and fragrance, offering a fitting end to a tour of Olmsted’s masterpiece.

The Lane garden, in its prime from 1906 to 1935, was widely celebrated and featured in several prestigious publications. It appeared in Louise Shelton's Beautiful Gardens in America, the November 1907 issue of American Homes and Gardens, and became a popular destination for horticultural tours. These accolades cemented the garden’s reputation as one of the most beautiful and thoughtfully designed landscapes in America.

However, by the time Nola Anderson and her husband, Jim Mullen, purchased The Chimneys in 1991, the garden had fallen into disrepair. After nearly forty years of neglect, the once-glorious garden was a shadow of its former self, with overgrown vegetation and crumbling structures. Recognizing the historical and aesthetic value of the garden, Ms. Anderson embarked on a three-decade journey to restore it to its former glory.

This restoration became Ms. Anderson's personal passion, a labor of love that saw her dedicating countless hours to rebuilding, restoring, and recreating the garden. Guided by the original Olmsted plans, she worked meticulously to honor the garden’s historical significance while also incorporating her own evolving tastes. The restoration involved not only bringing back the original plantings and architectural elements but also enhancing the garden with new, historically appropriate and contemporary plantings that would ensure its vibrancy for years to come.

Today, the renewed gardens at The Chimneys are once again the centerpiece of the estate, a testament to both Olmsted's visionary design and Ms. Anderson’s dedication. The garden has been transformed into a vibrant, living landscape that serves as an extension of the family home, offering beauty, tranquility, and a connection to the past.

The story of The Chimneys garden restoration is beautifully captured through the lens of renowned commercial photographer Clint Clemens. Known in the advertising world for his work on the "loud and fast," Clemens brings a unique perspective to the serene and timeless beauty of the garden. His photographs capture the intricate details of the landscape, from the delicate petals of a rose to the grandeur of the Water Terrace, offering viewers a glimpse into the garden’s rebirth.

Through Clemens’s photographs, the garden is not just a collection of plants and structures, but a living, breathing work of art that tells a story of perseverance, passion, and the enduring power of nature. The renewed gardens of The Chimneys are a reminder of the importance of preserving our historical landscapes and the joy that comes from seeing them restored to their full potential.

In conclusion, the garden at The Chimneys is a remarkable example of Frederick Law Olmsted’s genius as a landscape architect, a space where nature and architecture come together to create something truly special. The garden’s restoration by Nola Anderson is a testament to her dedication and love for this historic landscape. Today, the gardens stand as a vibrant and beautiful extension of The Chimneys estate, ready to be enjoyed by future generations, just as they were in the early 20th century.