The Allée & Border Gardens

The Garden

The Allée

open 11 AM - 8 PM

The designer of the Oldfields gardens, Percival Gallagher, worked for the Olmsted Brothers firm based in Brookline, Massachusetts. This famous firm is responsible for some of the most iconic built landscapes in North America, including Central Park in New York City, the Seattle Park System, and Balboa Park in San Diego.

A common thread among most Olmsted Firm designs is the juxtaposition of formal and informal spaces. The Allée is the backbone of Oldfields—the heart of the estate. Surrounded on either side by sweeping shade trees, this long vista of grass appears uninterrupted because of a simple trick of the eye and clever construction. A road, set at a slightly lower elevation than the lawn, runs right through the middle of it, but you would never know when looking across from either end.

In spring, the center of the allee features a meandering river of bulbs running through it and the open garden space behind the large fountain provides the grandest view of the house on the property year-round.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE ALLÉE & BORDER GARDENS

Jack-in-the-pulpit, including stands of these spring-blooming natives and rare specimens of exotic Asian varieties
Toad lily, a fall-blooming perennial growing up to 3 feet, featuring purple and white orchidlike flowers
Hellebores, spring bloomers that carpet the border gardens by the hundreds, featuring white, green, purple, and striated flowers, and glossy dark green leaves that last into winter
Oak-leaved hydrangea, a summer-blooming shrub for sun or shade with white flowers that fade to pink
Copper beech, a relatively rare tree. The border gardens feature eight magnificent specimens that are approximately 80 years old
A great variety of ferns, which add a lush feeling and contrast beautifully with larger-leaved plants like hostas
Acanthus, a summer bloomer with dramatic, finely cut, dark green leaves
Hardy begonia, a relative of the house plant of the same name, which covers itself in drooping pink blooms in fall
Spring wildflowers, including Virginia bluebells, trillium, celandine poppy, and more
Cut-leaved lilac, a shrub with profuse lavender flowers that perfumes the gardens in May