Short Hills -- Laporte Garden

Alice Recknagel Ireys began design work for this garden around 1969 and appears to have continued her association over the next ten years. The Dutch colonial house, built in 1928, was in a wooded setting with spacious lawns. Ireys utilized both brick and stone to create a walled patio and took advantage of the property's elevation change to design stone stairs leading to a slightly higher level above the patio. Several images show the project during the installation phase. The 1971 date is assumed from the date shown on the verso of one of the proof sheets for another garden whose images share that proof sheet with some of the Laporte property. Additional documentation relating to the Laporte Garden may be found in the Ireys papers in the Sophia Smith Collection at Smith College.

Persons associated with the garden include: Alice Recknagel Ireys (landscape architect, circa 1969-1979) and John Henry and Donna Laporte (former owners, circa 1960-1979).