Great New England Gardens: Touring the Stevens-Coolidge Place

Here in New England, we’re surrounded by history and culture, which means that we have loads of historic houses and gardens to explore.  Many of us drive by them daily, because they are nestled within our villages, making it quite possible to live side-by-side with history.   On Boston’s North Shore, we’re fortunate to be able to claim one such neighbor, the Stevens-Coolidge House and Garden.  The property is maintained by the outstanding Trustees of Reservations organization, which is dedicated to preserving historic properties and unique natural areas, and to increasing public awareness of New England’s rich heritage.  This great New England garden features a vegetable garden, cutting garden, perennial garden, sunken rose garden, and orchards, all surrounded by verdant fields, making it possible to satisfy all your gardening desires in one visit.  It’s free and open all year to the public.

The Colonial Revival home stands just beyond a white, iron gate nestled into a stone wall.  The Stevens family, one of the founding families of North Andover, bought the property, then known as Ashdale Farm, in 1729.  The farm remained in the family for generations, and was transformed into a summer residence by Helen Stevens and her husband, John Gardner Coolidge, in the early 1900s.  You can read the history of the property at the Trustees of Reservations.

The garden has a European feel, because the young owners were influenced by the estates and gardens they had visited in Europe during their many trips abroad.  They laid out the perennial gardens in parterres, with a view to the fields beyond the yew hedge.  Despite its symmetry, the perennial garden feels informal and inviting, with flowers softening the borders in a riot of colors.

The perennial garden peaks in late May through June.  It boasts many favorite varieties, such as peonies, phlox, Lady’s Mantle, iris, and geranium.  A low, clipped yew hedge provides shelter and a sense of enclosure.

Though I love all the spaces here, my favorite is the sunken rose garden, which reminds me of my grandmother’s old-fashioned roses.  Helen Stevens was delighted by French walled gardens, and that influence can be seen here.   Shrub roses line the perimeter, while the central lawn features a lily pond.  It’s the perfect place for quiet and seclusion, and the roses smell divine.

I think of the table and chairs above as my special place.  For years, I’ve come to sit here in quiet reflection, usually after the harried routine of getting my daughter off to school.  The mornings are delightfully quiet, and you often have the place to yourself.  I treasure starting my day here, with a book in hand, reading and listening to the soft trickle of water and birdsong.

You can see the European influence in the rose garden’s wrought iron gates.  They are kept open most days, and it’s fascinating to study the delicate scrolls up close.

Now we’re off to the vegetable garden, which boasts it’s own unique wall.  Called serpentine, wavy, or my favorite, crinkle crankle walls, they are a centuries old European invention.  The design enabled builders to construct a wall that was one brick thick, thus saving money on materials.  In the U.S., you can see a similar wall at George Washington’s Mount Vernon, which he also used to surround his vegetable garden.

As you move farther from the house and formal gardens, the land becomes more informal, giving way to orchards and fields that were once part of a working farm.  The estate was designed in “The Country Place Style,” meant to imitate European estates with their vast holdings of land.  Today, the fields are a beautiful and valuable part of our open spaces.

The public is welcome to enjoy the property in a variety of ways.  Picnicking is allowed, and you can often see artists painting in the outdoor light.  Certain times of the year the cutting garden opens to the public, there are many activities for children, and they even hold yoga classes in the garden.  Check the Trustees website for information on weddings and photography, as well as other events.

Although I love the gardens at the Stevens Coolidge House, you may want to tour the house itself.  Information on its hours, as well as volunteer opportunities, can be found at the Trustees website.