martinhouseclr

114 DARWIN D. MARTIN HOUSE // CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT had an exceptional interest in visiting what is characterized as his “most elaborate and largest garden” design up to that point. 248 Aside from the circa 1932 Griffin photographs, two different series of photographs from this area show the character of the landscape prior to Martin’s death and the abandonment of the property in 1937. One set, presumably taken by the Martins, features the grandchildren (Darwin and Margaret) playing in the garden in early spring. [Fig. 99] The grandchildren appear to be about 4 or 5 years old and, thus, the photos would likely have been taken in 1934 or 1935 prior to or near Martin’s death in 1935. The other set consists of photographs taken by Martin’s long time chauffeur and his family, William Thorpe, who lived above the garage for many decades, including after Isabelle moved out in 1937. The landscape, as indicated in the photographs, was still being maintained by a Martin-employed gardener. The particular branching habit of both Forsythia and Rose of Sharon are visible in the Floricycle, and the early spring foliage of Iris, potentially Daffodil, and other unidentified perennials / bulbs still litter its understory ground plane. Peculiarly, as it does not occur on known planting plan or other records in this location, a mature Smooth Sumac (Rhus glabra) is visible planted at the very apex of the courtyard fountain 248 Christopher Vernon, e-mail message to author, 17 May 2014. In correspondence with Christopher Vernon it was agreed that the designer would have had an exceptional fondness for one of his largest and earliest design works, lending credence and reason for the side trip to Buffalo during his travels. basin. [Fig. 100] The roughly 10-foot sumac seems to have been purposefully planted, rather than being natural stray or successional-type growth, as the multi-stemmed tree is staked and tied. Abandonment In December of 1934 Darwin Martin suffered his most severe stroke to-date, leaving him unable to speak. 249 On December 17 of the following year (1935), Martin died at the Jewett property. He was said to have been completely insolvent. 250 Isabelle Martin lived in the Jewett house until 1937 when, unable to pay taxes, she dismissed the staff, closed up and abandoned the house. William Thorpe, the Martins’ chauffeur, lived above the garage for several more years and would have likely performed some level of landscape maintenance to the areas minimally surrounding the garage and, to a lesser extent, the core of the property. However, it is clear that just one year after Isabelle’s abandonment the adjacent vegetable and fruit garden and area surrounding the greenhouse was overrun with weed growth. [Fig. 101] Seemingly raided of all tropical and indoor plants, the conservatory too was abandoned and left unmaintained with vines remnants covering nearly all column surfaces, the wood trellis and up beyond and above the Nike 249 Jack Quinan, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Martin House: Architecture as Portraiture, 216. 250 Martin House Restoration Corporation, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Martin House Complex: Docent Manual, 2014 Edition. Fig. 98 Floricycle, looking northwest, photo taken by Walter Burley Griffin, c 1932. Fig. 99 Grandchildren, Darwin and Margaret, with gardener in Floricycle, c. 1934.