United States of America -- Idaho -- Bannock County -- Pocatello
Scope and Contents:
The folder includes worksheets, planting list, and planting plan.
General:
Located on a city lot that is not quite half an acre, this garden is on a gradient of more than twenty-five feet, sloping up from the street to the wall at the back of the property as well as sloping from side to side. The owners have created a colorful array in the front, back and side yards, with terraces, paths and steps that unify the property, decorative statuary and a fountain. In the front yard overgrown evergreens that blocked the windows were removed, new terraces were built of terracotta blocks to replace crumbling shale, a white picket fence was added to coordinate with the white trim on the 1950s ranch style house, and the sprinkler system was improved. The backyard had rock-walled terraces with only remnants of earlier flower beds and rows of evergreen trees, many of which were dead, and an improperly aligned cement patio. Weeds and invasive vines had to be removed, rock circles were dismantled with the rocks added to existing rock walls that needed to be rebuilt, and new walls, steps and walkways were built using terracotta blocks. A redwood deck was built over the roofed patio with new wooden fencing stained to match, replacing chain link fencing and an old chicken wire kennel. The terraces, paved walkways and steps also alleviated problems with run-off.
The front yard terraces and retaining wall bed are filled with red, yellow and orange annuals and spring bulbs balanced with yews, golden privet, a climbing rose against the house, a dwarf spruce and creeping junipers. In the back yard there are colorful flower beds with annuals planted in masses, mature evergreens, dwarf fruit trees, vegetables, herbs, and shrubs. The lawn is punctuated by fruit and crab apple trees. The highest level terrace at the rear has dwarf spruce and lilacs; the middle terrace has shrubs, daylilies, and hostas; and the lowest terrace has red, yellow and orange annuals. In addition to a large birdbath there are statues in the lower two terraces. A white painted arbor in the side terraces has a stone bench beneath which the newly-designed patio nearby can seat 60 people.
Persons associated with the garden include: David and Phyllis Ann Miller (former owners, 1954-2003) and Cedric Allen of Myers-Anderson Architects (architect, 1954).
Related Materials:
The Wilkes/Valentine Gardens related holdings consist of 1 folder (33 digital images; 1 photographic print)
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.
