So sorry I’ve been MIA for the last couple of weeks; this summer is turning out to be one of the busiest I’ve had in years! Everything snuck up on me: I’ve been teaching a summer grad class, working at the Phillips House, preparing a robust schedule of presentations, researching Salem’s “revolutionary summer” AND Renaissance saffron, and prepping my garden for the Salem Garden Club’s biennial “Stroll,” which happened just this past weekend. I thought this was going to be a calm, “off” summer as I am not working on a book, but that has not been the case. I think I’m all caught up and in control now, but we shall see. I have some interesting topics that I want to explore here over the next few weeks, but this week I am featuring the Garden Stroll, which was one of the best garden tours I’ve seen in years. The Salem Garden Club has a venerable history dating back to 1928 and they have made numerous contributions to Salem’s horticultural history, among them the publication of the most wonderful little pamphlet, Old Salem Gardens, which (I swear) is seldom out of my sight at home. If you encounter a copy online or in person, snatch it up: believe me, you won’t be disappointed. The club always features a Christmas market during Historic Salem’s Christmas in Salem house tour, and they contribute to the city’s beautification initiatives as well. Years ago, when my house was on the Christmas in Salem tour, I was fortunate to have the Club as designated decorators and I remember fondly coming downstairs the morning of the tour to see ladies artfully arranging their creations, as well as ironing my tablecloths! It was nice to hear them setting up for the stroll this past weekend as well, as their headquarters were right next door at Hamilton Hall. I think we were all a bit anxious as it was raining Saturday morning (and very humid later on), but from my perspective, everything went off very well.
Salem Garden Club present and past.
The gardens were all located within the McIntire Historic District, Salem’s oldest, on Federal and Chestnut Streets and off streets of the latter. The range was incredible in terms of size and style, but all featured great structure, and very interesting plants! I have LUNGWORT ENVY, as pulmonaria are my favorite plants and my feeble varieties paled in comparison to two much more robust examples I spotted on Chestnut and Hamilton streets (usually they are better; they really let me down this year—must check my soil). There was great architecture, and all sorts of special little details: I was immediately reminded of a quote by Mary Harrod Northend about Salem’s urban gardens, “where every inch of space has been made to serve a decorative purpose.” (The Mentor, 1914).
Gardens on Federal and Hamilton Streets and an additional lovely lungwort on Chestnut.
The neighborhood insitutions were featured too, including the Peabody Essex Museum’s famous Ropes Garden (with PEM head gardener Robin Pydynkowski on-site to answer questions), the Pickering House (also with present gardeners), and the Salem Athenaeum, and lemonade was served at the Phillips House. The great thing about urban gardens like those of Salem is you can generally check out lots of backyards once you get “out back” so a tour such as this is a treat for both architectural and horticultural buffs (plus outbuildings!) I was just thrilled to see the garden of the house built for Hugh Wilson, the Scottish gardener of the adjacent Hoffman garden on Chestnut Street, which was truly famous in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It was so unexpectedly large, I think because it was the site of one of the Hoffman greenhouses. (But I also developed pond envy). Just a great Salem day!
PEM Gardener Robyn Pydynkowski in the spotlight at the Ropes Mansion; Hamilton and Chestnut Street Gardens.
And at the end of the day it was nice to come back to our garden, now free of people and with Trinity liberated (Tuck was still cowering inside) to have a g&t. Cheers to the Salem Garden Club!
