Letter from Beatrix Farrand, Valley Club of Montecito, P.O. Box 1140, Santa Barbara, California to John Thacher, January 10, 1946 Digital
Scope and Contents
Typescript letter with handwritten signature from Beatrix Farrand to John Thacher discusses the Orangery as a Garden Center and the removal or cutting back of the creeper; the purchase of affordable furniture for the Orangery; leaflets, maps, postcards, and kodachromes of the garden; and the greenhouse issue at Dumbarton Oaks, Washington, D.C. Beatrix addresses the "Bryce situation" as difficult and encloses a letter that might be sent to him. She feels it was a tactical mistake for Bryce to go to Mildred and Robert Bliss to ask for extra funds for the garden. She feels an extra savings each year in the garden budget should go into an agent account rather than returned to the Harvard treasurer. She does not recommend an extra five hundred dollar fund is needed until "we see more clearly how the garden monies are expended." The enclosed letter is no longer with this correspondence. Beatrix tells him it is good news that he agrees with the replacement of the azaleas around the Star Garden. A space must be found for the big old plants. She further shares her thoughts on the removal and replanting of the box on the Beech Terrace; the new path from the south drive to the Orangery and the preliminary sketch ot it seems unwise; taking down the whole north wall in the North Vista and opening up the vista to the far hills; no more vegetable planting; removal of the whole terrior group of furniture to possibly the copse area; the bathtub can be disposed of; who is bold enough to ask Mildred Bliss if she is willing to give the lead lady and unicorn to a museum; the lead fountain in the Herb Garden; rose plants need replacing in the Rose Garden; and little oaks ordered for $125 from Mr. Thompson for Dumbarton Oaks; closing of the greenhouses. Beatrix asks what Thacher thinks of the Huntington Garden guide book that she sent to him as a model for Dumbarton Oaks.
Dates
- Creation: January 10, 1946
Language of Materials
Materials chiefly in English with a few items in Greek, Latin, French, Italian, or Spanish.
Conditions Governing Access
An appointment is required for access to these papers. To request an appointment, fill out the online form: http://www.doaks.org/research/library-archives/access-and-hours/schedule-an-appointment.
For research queries, contact the staff of Image Collections and Fieldwork Archives (library@doaks.org).
Extent
23 boxes (Approximately 2632 items including correspondence, expense reports, invoices, estimates, deposit records, book lists, newspaper clippings, newsletters, and plant lists.)Creator
- From the Sub-Group: Farrand, Beatrix, 1872-1959 (Person)
- From the Sub-Group: Thacher, John, 1904-1982 (Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Dumbarton Oaks Repository
Dumbarton Oaks holds archival collections in its Rare Book Collection, Image Collections and Fieldwork Archives, and the Dumbarton Oaks Archives. The collections include: the papers of noteworthy scholars in the three fields that Dumbarton Oaks supports (Byzantine, Pre-Columbian, and Garden and Landscape); image collections depicting objects or sites of topical interest to scholars in the three fields; Beatrix Farrand’s personal archive of letters and original drawings that document the development of the Dumbarton Oaks Garden; and institutional records and architectural plans and drawings documenting the history of Dumbarton Oaks. For more information about hours and to make an appointment to consult any of the collections listed here, please fill out the request form: https://www.doaks.org/research/library-archives/schedule-an-appointment