This whimsical shelter was located on a ridge in Philadelphia overlooking the Schuylkill River. It was “one of the thatch-roof rustic pavilions installed at the [Fairmount Water Works] between 1864-1866 as a decorative improvement,” according to the website Philadelphia Architects and Buildings. The photo, via Library Company of Philadelphia Commons on flickr, is dated ca. 1870. In the lower left… Continue reading The Sunday porch: rustic pavilion
A repeat post from 2014. . . Garden pavilion over a duck and goose pond, unknown location, ca. 1900, Phillips Glass Plate Negative Collection, via Powerhouse Museum (Sydney, Australia) Commons on flickr. I would love to see the rest of this property. [I]t is more important for the gardener to be enchanted than for the critics to be… Continue reading Lucky ducks
Five adults and two children at wooden tables beneath the large trees of Pressler’s Beer Garden, Austin, Texas, between 1890 and 1910, by Samuel B. Hill, via Austin Public Library and The Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries). Pressler’s (originally a brewery) was located at 1327 West 6th Street for more than 30 years, closing in 1910. Its grounds featured… Continue reading Life in gardens: Austin, Texas
The Advent market of Hellbrunn Palace — just outside of Salzburg, Austria — is open from late November until Christmas Eve. Unfortunately, our guided city tour, which included a 15-minute stop at the palace grounds (otherwise closed during the winter) was on Christmas Day. However, the absence of any other people among the remaining structures and decorations… Continue reading Advent forest, Salzburg
Chinesischer Turn and beer garden in the Englischer Garten park, Munich, Germany. Not a porch, of course, but a grand garden pavilion first built in 1790 — the year the park itself was laid out (officially opening in 1792). The tower was designed by Joseph Frey, a military architect. He was inspired by the “Great Pagoda” of the Kew Royal Botanic Gardens… Continue reading The Sunday porch: Munich
