Vintage landscape: preparation

Starting seeds 2, 1943, L. Rosskam, Library of Congress“Washington, D.C. Victory gardening in the Northwest section. [Tomato s]eedlings in paper cups that will be transplanted in the victory garden,” 1943, by Louise Rosskam, via Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. (Another view here.)

Vintage landscape: Petit Trianon

Petit Trianon, Versailles, FrancePetit Trianon, Versailles, France, between ca. 1890 and ca. 1900, a photochrom by Detroit Publishing Co., via Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

The winter garden: Rockwood

Rockwood, Delaware, 1982 HABS, Library of Congress“Conservatory interior looking southwest,” Rockwood, near Wilmington, Delaware, 1982, by David Ames, via an Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS), Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division (all photos here).

Built between 1851 and 1854 in the Rural Gothic Revival style, the estate still exists as the Rockwood Park and Museum.

Designed for Joseph Shipley, a member of one of the leading Quaker mill-owning families in the area, Rockwood is an unusually complete and effective statement of early Victorian taste in the tradition of A.J. Downing and John Clauduius Loudon. The mansion house reflects both early Victorian romanticism and the picturesque merger of irregular architecture and naturalistic landscape. When taken in conjunction, the architecture, the plan, the garden and the remaining furnishings depict a total physical sensibility that is fast vanishing from America.

— 1986 HABS report

Rockwood, Delaware, 1982 HABS, Library of Congress“Conservatory, detail of cast iron columns looking northeast.”

Rockwood, Delaware, 1982 HABS, Library of Congress“Conservatory, roof and northwest wall looking north.”

More winter gardens are here. And more abandoned greenhouses here on the blog Messy Nessy Chic.

Vintage landscape: promenade

More beautiful photochroms of France from the Library of Congress. . . . Enjoy.

[The Promenade, Montpelier, France“The Promenade, Montpelier, France,” between ca. 1890 and ca. 1900, a photochrom by Detroit Publishing Co., via Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division (and all photos below).

The Tuileries garden, Paris, France“The Tuileries garden, Paris, France.”

Brest France photochrom, ca. 1900, Library of CongressThe Cours Dajot, Brest, Brittany, France.

[The Square and the Place D'Arcy, Dijon, France“The Square and the Place D’Arcy, Dijon, France.”

Caen, France, c. 1895, Library of Congress“Royal Palace and hotel de ville, Caen, France.”

Hotel de ville, posts and telegraphs, Vichy, France“Hotel de ville, posts and telegraphs, Vichy, France.”

Monks' promenade, Mont St. Michel, France“Monks’ promenade, [Abbey of] Mont St. Michel, France.”

Vintage landscape: Nîmes, France

Garden of the Fountains, Nîmes, France]Garden[s] of the Fountains, Nîmes, France,” between ca. 1890 and ca. 1900, by Detroit Publishing Co., via Library of Congress Prints and Photographs.

This is another image from the Library’s photochrom collection, which includes many views of the architecture, monuments, and landscapes of France.

Les Jardins de la Fontaine were built in the mid 1700s.  They were the first public gardens in France.