In part 2, I’m sharing some photos of the things I was most excited to see: the trompe l’oeil murals in the Formal Greenhouse’s central pavilion, the Allée of pleached crab apple trees, the espalier trees, the basket room, and the library.
Formal Greenhouse / Wedding Cake Gazebo
I have a whole book on the paintings in this space, and I was thrilled to see it in person. My life’s work and passion is to design beauty in three dimensions - to surround myself with my favorite things, places, and memories. As I’ve written before, I am deeply sentimental, and so it comes as no surprise that this is one of my favorite spaces.
Originally, the central gazebo was built to display the cake at the wedding of Bunny’s daughter. Since then, it has served as the central structure in the greenhouse - a beautiful potting shed and sitting area, flanked on either side symmetrically by two long glass greenhouses.
I love so much about this: I love the idea of designing a structure for a cake (how silly), I love that it then becomes functional, and I love that the beautiful paintings are both themed to the function of the space and are of Bunny’s favorite things (pruning shears, a hat, baskets, etc.). It’s beautiful, it’s sentimental, it’s three-dimensional, it’s inhabitable, and it’s simultaneously over-the top and functional.
One of my favorite painted moments is of the kitchen towel behind the sink, next to a hook for the real version - it is such a fabulous trick of the eye!
The central gazebo has entrances to both of the glass greenhouses on either side, which house lots of different flowers, topiaries, and other exotic plants.
The Allée
This is the iconic image that put Bunny Mellon on the map for me. I saw the photo somewhere online, and had to find out where it was and who made it. I was shocked to find out it was miles from where I grew up!
The allée is 127’ long with thirty crab apple trees on either side, planted in the late 1950s.
Espalier Trees
Along with the allée, I find the espalier trees enchanting. There is something surreal about taking a natural element and molding it to your own desires - in this case, to coax it into growing flat against a wall.
While usually ornamental, the heat absorbed from the sun on the stone wall also ripens the fruit faster.
Basket Room
There is something about baskets that I really love. They are usually neutral in color, the weave creates a subtle pattern, and they are beautiful while also being very functional. I have been collecting them for some time (from Poland, from Spain, from anywhere) and they store all sorts of things in my kitchen (picnic supplies, alcohol, reusable grocery bags). I also use one as a purse a la Brigitte Bardot and Jane Birkin.
I have also always loved a “head-to-toe” look, so a room whose function is to store baskets? I love it.
Library
I was excited to see the library from the exterior because I am very familiar with one of the famous interior shots. Unfortunately you couldn’t go inside, but it was really interesting to see this building in comparison to the main house and other outbuildings. It is definitely more modern, with thick walls and geometric forms. It is also smaller than I imagined that it would be.
I am hoping to visit the inside one day - this is something available to those in the artist residency, which I have applied to!
I highly suggest visiting Oak Spring if it is on the Virginia Garden Tour next spring - I will definitely go again in the future.
Anna