Natural Fashion

MRS. POST & head gardener Earl Loy
photograph from LIFE by Alfred Eisenstaedt, 1965

It is all true. HILLWOOD is where Fabulous lives. I walked into the Visitor's Center at Marjorie Merriweather Post's famed HILLWOOD & said just that-or something close.

photograph from Architect Design here

What does One do when faced with all that Fabulous?

Walking through the gardens on the estate was less dauntingly Fabulous. I have Nature, a Garden, Flora, Fauna & Statuary. Yes-even I've got some of that- though not on the grand scale. It was easy to snap photos of a few of my favourite MMP Garden things. The gardens are beautiful, perfectly scaled for the estate and kept in the very style of the lady of the house. A guided tour by one of the docents- Carol- was interesting, informative and amusing. The amusing part came from the Mother and two daughters ( Names Unknown). As my friend said-Well Mother (Names Unknown) does seem to know her history. Yes-in a fashion. Oh, but One of the Daughter's of Mother etc. etc.- Heaven help. Good advice- Don't speak- listen and learn- "Don't talk, Just Look." But more about that later.

One of the more amusing stories Carol told was about MMP's Japanese Garden. After Mrs. Post suggested Colorado Blue Spruce for the Garden, landscape architect Shogo Myaida informed the lady of the fact that this would make the Garden- Well-Not Japanese. I can only think MMP nodded & the Japanese- American Hybrid Garden was born. Mrs. Post was a woman after my own heart- Knows what she wants and gets it & in the nicest way. Witness the Friendship Walk. Four of Mrs. Post's friends came up with the perfect gift for the Woman with Everything (MMP)- an English Garden with statuary of the Four Seasons forming a circular overlook. An inscription on a center stone reads:

Friendship outstays the hurrying flight of years and aye abides through laughter and through tears.

Here is a look at things I spied in the Gardens. To say it was something quite fabulous is understatement. For me in a practical sense- after seeing the FABULOUS- I look for things I can use. Things I can fall in love with.

Things I will remember when working with clients or editing or adding to my own objet d'art.

I am fascinated with the Sphinx, just review my posts on Heart of Stone and you will see. This one rests in the small French Parterre where MMP's very French bedroom overlooks. Along with the Sphinx, my take away is All must be in Proportion. Though it isn't stated, Ms.Post must have believed this axiom. This formal Garden is in perfect scale to the mansion. Hillwood is a mansion in the truest sense- from Old French-mansio- the act of remaining or staying. Indeed. This suits Hillwood. The looming grotesques of the 21st century should take note and scale down. Though is quite large-I don't know the square footage-It remains comely, intimate & personal. Yes, it is extravagant & Fabulous-but it is all in proportion.

I latched onto the Sphinx & found two others residing along the walkways. These dears are said to be modeled after dazzling French ballerinas of the 18th century.

Perhaps Marie Salle ?

Another wonderful thing I noted in the garden was this iron railing. Yes, yes of course the design is heavenly- the very simple turned down to a point end of the handrail & the repeating circular design. I like that the handrail is raised from the main part of the rail as well. It is a gorgeous design- but Don't you love the color? I do- I think this is an easy takeaway from Mrs. Post. Don't settle for black, deep green (all good) but if you fancy a different shade-Here it is.

I really can not believe this design for an umbrella hasn't been copied- I don't know what this one is made of but the color and design are so deluxe. This lawn umbrella- original to Mrs. Post's day, as are the not so enviable- lawn chairs, was my favourite garden object. I love the pronounced hard molded shape and the overlapping of the petalled shapes. What do you think?