martinhouseclr

61 2 // SITE HISTORY & EVOLUTION of plants already planted at the Barton House. Based on this hand written note, some of the alterations to the plan as installed could have possibly included the addition or replacement of Forsythia suspensa with Forsythia suspensa var. fortuneii (noted as existing in the hemi-cycle at the time), and the addition or replacement of Spirea x vanhoutteii with Spriea thunbergii or something similar written as “Bridal Wreath (white).” 153 Addressing Martin’s questions about the Floricycle plantings, Wright responds on 1 March: Referring to the Floricycle: (7B) in circles 8 and 9 Lilium Candidum. (8D) different kinds bounded as indicated on plan, see following list. Phlox Decussata, Eclaireur 50 Beranger 100 Queen 100 Miss Lingard - 100 Matador 100 Boule de Feu 100 ______ 550 11 C. Clump these where a single spot is shown on drawing put in several plants, - 160 in all. 153 These potential substitutions are possibly corroborated by a circa 1992 inventory of extant plant species at the remaining (main house only) property at the time, where, according to the inventory, Spirea thunbergii and the Fortuneii variety of Forsythia was documented. 7. G. Use white 3/4 rose 1/3, or substitute something you prefer. 6 E. Griffin seems to think this will be worth the trouble. It is not an especially important member of the galaxy. Substitute something that you like if you want to. 6H. Ditto. 7 A. You may forget it. 11 A. Chrysanthemums O.K. 154 Of particular importance in Wright’s reply is his indication of Walter Burley Griffin’s involvement in the plan or planting selection under the item 6E (Digitalis gloxinoides, or Foxglove). As Griffin is known to have left Wright’s employ in the fall of 1905 it is particularly significant that Griffin, who essentially took the studio’s horticultural knowledge with him when he left, was consulting on the plan for Wright well into February of 1906. With the previous indication of Griffin’s involvement in developing the concept behind the Floricycle in the second-half of 1905, and Wright’s reference here of his horticultural opinion – it is fairly certain that Griffin had substantial involvement in the Floricycle design on some level, despite being out of Wright’s office when the plan was provided to Martin. Compounding the question as to what level of involvement Griffin had in developing the plan is the belief that the Floricycle plan’s plant key and layout instructions are not in Griffin’s architectural lettering style. 155 However, Griffin is at least 154 FLW-DDM, 1 March 1906, Trans. Zakery Steele 2014, WMP-UB. 155 Christopher Vernon, e-mail to author, 29 May 2014. Architectural lettering, unlike handwriting, is a method partially responsible for the early development of the Floricycle plan - his lettering style is identifiable within the plant numbering. 156 Between the dissatisfaction with the hemi- cycle, the perennial lateness of planting plans in Martin’s eyes, Wright’s break with Griffin (and thus, horticultural knowledge) at the end of 1905, and the no-doubt challenging interruption in planting efforts caused by the Martin gardener Hebditch’s return to England two weeks before the major May 1905 planting installation began – there seems to be a host of influences plaguing the realization of the complete Martin House landscape to-date. Adding to this ‘comedy of errors’ is Martin’s 6 March 1906 discharge of George Frampton, Hebditch’s replacement of less than one year. The facts behind Frampton’s release are unknown, but the redeeming value of this disruption is that his replacement, Thomas Skinner, who starts the day after Frampton’s discharge, cultivates a long and meaningful relationship with the Martins. 157 158 of text drafting wherein styles can be pervasive among colleagues who learn or adapt from one another. A brief, albeit inconclusive, analysis of the lettering style and potential clues of Griffin’s hand can be found in the Steele-Vernon CLR project correspondence. 156 Christopher Vernon, e-mail to author, 9 October 2014. 157 DDM, Memorandum, 7 March 1906. Skinner’s eventual leave of Martin is undocumented at the time of his departure, but takes place 30 June 1912. Martin references this date in his diary after happening on Skinner in Mamaroneck, New York, during an automobile tour with a friend in August of 1913. 158 Skinner was the first of Martin’s gardeners to take residence in the Gardener’s Cottage and was also married in Martin’s living room on 4 September 1907. Fig. 40, next page Plan of Floral Arrangement (Floricycle), Frank Lloyd Wright, c. February 1906.