Greenwich Historical Society earns honors for gardens

GREENWICH — The Greenwich Historical Society is the 2020 recipient of the Garden Club of America’s Zone Historic Preservation Commendation.

The award recognizes the Greenwich Historical Society for its sustained preservation of the National Historic Landmark Bush-Holley House site and restoration of the American Impressionist art colony gardens.

“For more than a century, a priority of The Garden

Club of America has been to recognize and encourage those who have made — and are making — exceptional contributions,” said Debbie Edwards, president of The Garden Club of America.

A formal virtual Garden Club of America Awards Ceremony was held at the Zone II President’s Council on April 14.

Hortulus partnered with the Greenwich Historical Society “in renovating the Bush-Holley House’s heirloom vegetable gardens, restoring the more than a century-year-old grape arbor, and reestablishing the Elmer

and Constant Holley MacRae’s historic flower garden,” said Elizabeth Darling, Hortulus Awards co-chair.

The flower gardens “inspired many paintings by American Impressionists artists at the Cos Cob Art Colony,” including “View of the Garden” by Walter A. Finch at the turn of the last century, said Darling.

“We especially thank Hortulus for restoring the flower and vegetable gardens that were inspired by the landscape when boarding artists, writers and other cultural figures who made up the Cos Cob art colony,” said Haley Elmlinger, cochair of the board at the Greenwich Historical Society. “The Greenwich Garden Club established the Tavern Garden near the restored Toby’s Tavern to reflect the Colonial Revival interests of the art colony era.”

The gardens are an inspiration for the Greenwich Historical Society’s upcoming exhibition “Beautiful Work: The Art of Greenwich Gardens and Landscapes,” which is set to open May.

“Here you walk through a ‘Giverny’ color palate with a variety of gorgeous colored annuals and perennials. The Tavern Garden, a gift from the Greenwich Garden Club, is cultivated with climbing vines, historic daffodil bulbs, lilies, hydrangeas and appropriate perennials and annuals. Both the ‘gifted’ garden

areas are meticulously and lovingly maintained,” said Greenwich Garden Club past president Jane Dunn.

Elizabeth Darling presided at a ceremony to present the award in person, which took place at the Greenwich Historical Society on March 25. Accepting the award was Haley Elmlinger; Historical Society trustees Bea Crumbine, Davidde Strackbein and Debbie Reynolds; Peter J. Tesei, former first selectman; Jane Dunn, past president of Greenwich Garden Club; Hortulus President Nanny Cannon; and Historical Society Executive Director Debra Mecky and Director of Operations Michele Couture. Hortulus Awards co-chairs Annesley MacFarlane and Colleen Hempleman were unable to attend.