martinhouseclr

216 DARWIN D. MARTIN HOUSE // CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT about ornamental flowers or screening objectionable views. Distinctly fine textured and diverse English border gardens existed along the pergola, and, uncharacteristically, were designed to be viewed from many directions. A public realm-screening Floricycle primarily focused on providing sequential blooming from March to November with direct visual links to the interior of the house. A naturalistic shrub border limiting views to the public realm also served to provide an intense level of winter interest through colored stems or winter fruits. These essential documented characteristics of each space should be the guiding criteria in making plant selections so that the interpretive program can remain truthful and successful. • Plants with Undesirable Characteristics: Limit the inclusion of plants with invasive or other undesirable characteristics. There are certain circumstances where the interpretive value (along with appropriate management ability) may warrant use of some invasive plants or plants with perceived disagreeable characteristics, but the interpretive value should be high and the maintenance burden and risks to the surrounding environment should be manageable. • Rotating Perennial Plant Arrangements: Plant selections for new compatible garden designs should conform to the character of the historic plantings in style, size, texture and color, but perennial gardens do not need to represent a specific arrangement at a specific point during the Period of Significance as they were continually altered by the Martins during that time. In keeping with the historic use of the property, it is recommended that a larger palette of appropriate plants be developed and perhaps used in a number of rotating arrangements for long-term interest and interpretive value. Exceptions to this include gardens that clearly maintained species continuity, such as the interior courtyard peony beds. Note that arrangements should generally be developed concurrently by a qualified professional, or developed by staff from an approved list, rather than on an ad-hoc basis from year to year or season to season. Trees Based on the historic documentation and analysis, it is recognized that tree structure was a defining characteristic of the historic landscape. [Fig. 199 - 202] The quantity, size, and the spatial definition created by deciduous shade trees within the Martin-owned landscape parcels and the “borrowed” street trees along Jewett Parkway and Summit Avenue were equally important to the extensive ornamental plantings in defining the character of the landscape. Historic trees were important to the scale and relationship of the site and neighborhood, a distinctive contrast to the horizontality of the architecture, and symbolized Fig. 199, top Annotated photograph (1923) of the Summit Terrace (looking north from Summit Terrace toward Barton wall), showing significance and visual prominence of on-site tree canopy within the landscape. Fig. 200, bottom Contemporary photograph showing potential visual influence of missing tree canopy on existing site. Note, the point of view has shifted to the Summit Lawn.