A Day in the Garden: Lorenzo

A garden in early summer is a wonderful time, lush and vibrant greens abound and the gardeners hopes are still high for a perfect season ahead. One of the prettiest garden that I have visited also happens to have a spectacular historic house on the property. Lorenzo was the family home for five generations until 1968 when it became a New York State Historic Property.

The house is a treasure trove of beautiful American and European antiques and miles of Zuber paper making it worth the visit alone.

The garden was designed in the mid 19th century by Ledyard Licklan and updated in the early 20th century by noted American garden designer Ellen Biddle Shipman. Today it is attentively cared for and offers a glimpse into a way of life of an historic american family.

The peonies in the garden are based on the original Shipman plan. 

The herbeacous border lines the allee leading to the grove of pine trees that were planted in 1856 by Ledyard Licklaen known  as the "Dark Aisle." The border was restored with the dedication of a voluteer Janine Golub

Designed so that when the doors to the house are open, you can see from the back 

of the garden through the hall onto Cazenovia Lake in the distance. 

No matter how wet the garden is there is always a dry seat. When not in use, the back 

of this bench flips down and covers the seat. Genius. 

The original playhouse with its simple trellis.

A mass of white Dictamnus albus (Gas Plant) stands

out against the green background. 

Originally beside the road this horse trough was moved to the back of the 

garden by designer Shipman.