Many thanks to Jill Anderson, Master Gardener at Weir Farm National Historic Site in Wilton for this post.
Since 2007, Weir Farm National Historic Site has had the pleasure of working with students from the Groundwork Bridgeport youth service program. This year’s project was to renovate sections of J. Alden Weir’s Secret Garden. The initial garden restoration was completed in 1996. Now almost 20 years later the original plantings were in need of division, or replacement-in-kind.
Upon Weir’s purchase of the property, the Secret Garden was thought to be a small farm garden. By 1920 its transformation into a flower garden was underway. When Weir’s daughter Dorothy later moved in the house, the garden became a more formal garden. A landscape plan was designed and implemented, and the garden is currently restored to circa 1940.
This summer we used photo archives, journal and maps to ensure the accuracy of plant variety and placement. The partial restoration/renovation was a huge success and could not have been accomplished without the hard work and dedication of the Groundwork Bridgeport students!! Weir Farm National Historic Site is looking forward to working on future projects with the students from Groundwork Bridgeport!!