Dumbarton Oaks
This volume thoroughly documents, in words and pictures, the estate of Dumbarton Oaks, once the private property of diplomat Robert Bliss and his wife, Mildred, and now owned by Harvard University. Located in the Georgetown area of Washington, DC, it was initially purchased by the Blisses in 1920, and over the next 50 years, Mildred Bliss and renowned landscape architect Beatrix Farrand transformed the grounds into one of the most spectacular gardens in the United States. This book is about how these two remarkable women achieved this success. Tamulevich, who has written for magazines and newspapers on landscape, architecture, and design, uses telegrams, maps, letters, and other correspondence to show how each phase of the garden transpired. Bliss never ran out of ideas, and she was masterly at selecting ornamental decorations in the garden, while Farrand's genius as a plantswoman and architect served her friend well. The gorgeous photographs by Thai photographer Amranand are presented in four sections, showing each season of the garden; also included are numerous historical photos of the garden, ornaments, and early design plans. This is both a fascinating historical account of a great garden and a remarkable portrait of two great women. Recommended for public and academic libraries and essential for serious garden collections. Phillip Oliver, Univ. of North Alabama Lib., FlorenceCopyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.