Bonny and David Martin Garden (Memphis, Tennessee)
United States of America -- Tennessee -- Shelby County -- Memphis
Scope and Contents:
The folder includes worksheets, site plans, detailed information about the garden's plants, photocopies of articles about the garden, background details from and about the owners, and additional information.
General:
A Japanese-style house and garden were built on this one and one-half acre property by a previous owner circa 1960, with the assistance of landscape architect William P. Hager, who unified three adjoining lots. The current owners added an extensive collection of bonsai and a bonsai house for winter storage, a rose garden in raised brick beds, and numerous decorative features from Japan, including a sake table and stools. Bonsai master and landscape designer Ben Oki designed a rock garden at the entrance to the house, placed enormous boulders moved from the owners' previous property, and also pruned and reshaped full-sized trees to complement the Japanese design. Noting that traditional Japanese gardens are comprised of water, greenery and rocks, the owner built her rose garden in a separate area beyond the swimming pool.
The property also has a hexagonal-shaped teahouse with a pagoda roof, a water garden and koi pond, a terraced garden with a reflecting pool, a moss garden, a swimming pool and pool house, and greenhouses for raising orchids and tropical ornamental plants. The bonsai house maintains the collection of at least 200 plants during the winter at 40 degrees. All the structures, including the house, pool house and carport, have Japanese design elements, such as shoji screens.
Following Japanese tradition hard surfaces, such as the stone shrine and paved walkways, are softened by surrounding plantings of ferns and trees, including Japanese maple and weeping varieties. Bonsai trees and shrubs are placed around the property and on tall stumps left from trees that were removed. Garden sculpture from Japan and a stone shrine are other features.
Materials documenting this garden in 1972 were submitted to the Archives of American Gardens as part of the Hollerith Family slide collection. It was also documented in 1987 and included as part of a 1992 donation to the Archives of American Gardens from the Garden Club of America. An additional submission of garden documentation was provided in 2009, as the Bonny and David Martin Garden.
Persons associated with the garden include William P. Hager (landscape architect, 1960s?); Duke Moody (landscape architect); EAML Architects? (greenhouse architect); David McGehee (architect, 1968-1969); Ben Oki (Bonsai master and garden designer, 2003-2009) and Dabney Turley (former owner, 1998-2003).
Related Materials:
Bonny and David Martin Garden related holdings consist of 3 folders (38 35 mm. slides (photographs))
See others in:
Hollerith Family Slide Collection, ca. 1952-1998.
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.
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.
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
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.
