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Fairfield -- The Oaks

Smithsonian Gardens

Object Details

Former owner

Bassick, Edgar W.
Bassick, Edgar W., Mrs.

Garden designer

Coffin, Marian Cruger, 1876-1957

Collection Creator

Garden Club of America

Collection Citation

Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.

Scope and Contents

The folder includes a work sheet and copies of articles.
sova.aag.gca_ref21455

GUID

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kb6a0d07823-d8c6-4c18-afcb-aaf3840647db

General

"The Oaks" is a Marian Coffin garden, designed in 1927, for which she received the coveted Gold Medal from the Architectural League of New York in 1930. The garden was known for its formal rose garden, its four arched bowers constructed of pleached white pine (Pinus strobus) and elaborate arched entry gates, which are located within a naturalized setting of woodland and rock outcroppings. In 1990, the house was razed and the land was sold for development.
Persons associated with the property and garden include: Marian Coffin (garden designer); Jonathan Godfrey (former owner); and Mr. and Mrs. Edgar W. Bassick (former owners, ca. 1920)

Place

The Oaks (Fairfield, Connecticut)
United States of America -- Connecticut -- Fairfield County -- Fairfield

Topic

Gardens -- Connecticut -- Fairfield

Former owner

Bassick, Edgar W.
Bassick, Edgar W., Mrs.

Garden designer

Coffin, Marian Cruger, 1876-1957

See more items in

The Garden Club of America collection
The Garden Club of America collection / Series 1: United States Gardens / Connecticut

Sponsor

A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.

Archival Repository

Archives of American Gardens

Identifier

AAG.GCA, File CT005

Type

Archival materials

Collection 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.

Bibliography

Garden featured in Nancy M. Fleming, "Marian Coffin and the Roses in Her Landscapes," Journal of the New England Garden History Society, Vol. 2 (fall ?), p. 52. Garden featured in Ernest H. Wilson, V.M.H., "Pleached Alleys and Their Planting," House & Garden, Vol. 55, No. 2 (Februrary 1929). Garden featured in Marian C. Cofffin, "Making a Rose Garden," House & Garden, Vol. 53, No. 6 (June 1928).

Collection 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

The Oaks related holdings consist of 1 folder (9 glass lantern slides)
Additional documentation found in Guide to the Charles Downing Lay papers, 1898-1956; Collection No. 4477; Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University.
Additional documentation can be found in the ASLA records, 1931; Winterthur Museum.
Additional images are located in The Landscape Architecture Archive in the Collection of The Fairfield Historical Society.
AAG.GCA_ref21455
Large EAD
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kb6a0d07823-d8c6-4c18-afcb-aaf3840647db
AAG.GCA
AAG

Record ID

ebl-1643208220039-1643210177562-1

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The Garden Club of America collection

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