Boston Flora

Tag: Castle Hill

  • Sunday, May 2, 11:00 am – 5:00 pm- Castle Hill on The Crane Estate Open House

    In celebration of spring, The Trustees of Reservations invite you to the 2nd Annual, FREE Spring Open House at Castle Hill on the Crane Estate to enjoy a day of fun. Plant a seedling and help them recover some of the hundreds of trees lost in the recent nor’easter. Pack a picnic and they’ll provide lawn games such as croquet and bocce ball, a Maypole dance, self-guided tours of the Great House and grounds, refreshments, and more. Please feel free to bring friends and family, but leave furry friends at home.

    The Open House thanks the public for its support of The Trustees’ ongoing restoration of the Castle Hill grounds, which in recent years has included historic plantings and restorations of the Italian Garden and the Great House forecourt. This February, The Trustees began the first phase of a 3-year renovation plan of the Grand Allee, the one-half mile long, undulating, grassy lawn framed by classical sculptures, Norway spruce, and pine hedgerows. Phase One of the project includes the removal of approximately 150 trees and the planting of 65 7-foot Norway spruce and White Pines.

    The Allee Restoration was disrupted by the late February nor’easter that wreaked havoc on the North Shore. Castle Hill was hit particularly hard, with more than 300 trees coming down in the storm. Crews worked tirelessly to clean up the property and make it safe for the public. Much work, including replanting trees and stabilizing stripped embankments, remains. The Trustees invite the public to help by planting seedlings in celebration of spring at the May 2nd Open House.

    Location:
    The Crane Estate
    290 Argilla Rd.
    Ipswich , MA 01938

    Sponsor: The Crane Estate
    Time(s): Noon – 6 pm Saturday; Noon – 4 pm Sunday
    Phone: 978.356.4351 x4015
    Fax: 978.356.2143
    Email: membership@ttor.org
    http://www.craneestate.org

    http://cd7.e2bn.net/e2bn/leas/c99/schools/cd7/website/images/victorian-maypole.jpg

  • Castle Hill Grand Allée Landscape Restoration Project

    The Trustees of Reservations announce the beginning of Phase One of the important Castle Hill Grand Allée Landscape Restoration Project. This iconic landscape of a National Historic Landmark will be restored to its original design and splendor, with a sustainable approach.

    The Crane Estate’s “Grand Allée” on Castle Hill in Ipswich combines a grand scale with beautiful decorative arts, making it unique in American landscape design. It is the only known landscape masterpiece of its kind still in existence in North America, and one of only a few remaining worldwide. The Allée is one of the largest landscape features created by renowned Boston landscape architect Arthur Shurcliff – best known for his design of Colonial Williamsburg and the Charles River Esplanade – who modeled the dramatic design after the beautiful Italian and French gardens of Renaissance Europe. Since 1949, when the Crane family gave Castle Hill to the Trustees, the Allée has become a beloved and impressive backdrop for open-air concerts, weddings, tours and events, a childrens summer camp, and other recreational activities held year-round on the Crane Estate.

    Nearly 100 years after its original installation, the plantings and architectural elements have begun to decline rapidly. The aging trees are prone to damage from harsh weather and storms. In addition, at their mature height, the trees have outgrown Shurcliff’s design and become overcrowded, obscuring his carefully planned views of natural features and the original sculptures bordering the hedgerows. To restore this rare and iconic landscape to its original splendor, The Trustees are embarking on a dynamic, three year, environmentally sustainable renovation project. The restoration will constitute a living laboratory – modeling cutting edge environmental stewardship with the diligent care of a National Historic Landmark.

    The Allée restoration project has been created in memory of David Crockett, former member of the Board of Governors, known as the “Impresario of Argilla Road,” on which the Estate is located. For more information, or to volunteer in this endeavor, log on to www.ttor.org, or email rmurray@ttor.org. You may also call Bob Murray at 978-356-4351, x. 4035.

  • Thursday, July 16, 10 a.m. – Castle Hill Landscape Tour

    On Thursday, July 16, beginning at 10 a.m., join the Trustees of Reservation. Take a guided walking tour of this grand, early 20th-century estate by the sea, and learn how landscape architects Arthur Shurcliff and the Olmsted Brothers transformed a bare, sandy drumlin into a beautiful, country retreat. Explore the farmstead, vegetable garden, formal garden areas, and outbuildings. See website www.thetrustees.org for other dates and times. Recommended for children 8 years and older. Full (90-minute) and half (45- minute) tours.  Members of the Trustees: free, Non-Members $5.  For more information call 978-921-1944 x 4009, or email needucation@ttor.org.