Wellesley’s Wonder: The Horticultural Legacy of H.H. Hunnewell
This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast:
May 20, 1902
On this day, dear garden enthusiasts, we mark the passing of one of America's most prominent horticulturalists – the inimitable Horatio Hollis Hunnewell.
A man of considerable means and even greater passion for nature, Hunnewell's legacy continues to bloom in the verdant landscapes he so lovingly cultivated.
Picture, if you will, a man of staggering wealth, a railroad financier by trade, but with a heart firmly rooted in the soil. Hunnewell's lifelong love affair with nature and gardening bore fruit in the form of a magnificent estate along the eastern and southern shores of Lake Waban.
Can you not imagine the scene?
The shimmering waters of the lake reflecting the grandeur of his creation, aptly named Wellesley in honor of his beloved wife Isabella Pratt Wells.
Such was the splendor of Hunnewell's estate that it lent its name to both the nearby town and college.
One can almost hear the rustle of crinolines and the clink of teacups as the town elders conferred with their most generous benefactor on this christening.
But oh, my dear readers, the true marvel lay in the grounds themselves!
Envision, if you dare, a pinetum boasting over 325 specimens of conifers.
These were not mere saplings, but majestic titans of the plant world. As Hunnewell himself remarked in 1899:
No Vanderbilt, with all his great wealth, can possess one of these for the next 50 years, for could not be grown in less time than that.
Can you not feel the pride in his words?
The satisfaction of a gardener who knows that true beauty cannot be bought, but must be nurtured over decades?
But wait! There's more to feast your eyes upon.
Hunnewell, in a stroke of horticultural genius, installed the very first topiary garden in America at Wellesley. He christened it the Italian Garden, a fitting name for a spectacle that rivaled the shores of Lake Como itself.
Imagine, if you will, gliding across Lake Waban in an authentic Italian gondola, steered by a gondolier in full regalia. As you approach the shore, the topiaries come into view, their sculptured forms a testament to the marriage of nature and art.
One can almost hear the gasps of delight from visitors as they disembark to tour this horticultural wonder.
It's no wonder that thousands flocked from across the country to witness this marvel firsthand. Even now, a century and a half later, the Hunnewell topiary garden remains one of the most spectacular sights in the region.
What a testament to the enduring power of a well-tended garden!
But Hunnewell's legacy extends beyond his magnificent estate.
Did you know, dear readers, that he and his friend Nathaniel Thayer Jr. are credited with bringing the game of tennis to America?
One can almost hear the thwack of ball against racquet echoing across his manicured lawns.
Perhaps most thrilling for us gardeners, Hunnewell was the first to cultivate and popularize rhododendrons in the United States.
Can you imagine the riot of color these magnificent shrubs must have brought to his grounds?
How many of us now enjoy these blooms in our own gardens, unknowingly indebted to Hunnewell's pioneering spirit?
As we remember Horatio Hollis Hunnewell on this day, let us take a moment to appreciate the living legacy he left behind.
His passion for horticulture, his dedication to beauty, and his willingness to share his creations with the world serve as an inspiration to gardeners everywhere.
So, my dear readers, I ask you this: what legacy will your garden leave?
What beauty are you cultivating that future generations might enjoy?
For in the end, is that not the true joy of gardening – to create something that outlives us, that continues to bring joy and wonder long after we've returned to the soil ourselves?