Summoning Worlds: Collectors’ Gardens in the Gilded Age

In conjunction with the California Garden and Landscape History Society, landscape architect Lisa Gimmy will explore the goals of the patrons, designers, and plant hunters behind four gardens of the Gilded Age, two in France (Musée Albert-Kahn in Boulogne-Billancourt and Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat) and two in California (The Huntington in San Marino and Virginia Robinson Gardens in Beverly Hills). Of particular interest is the impact of rapid technological and artistic changes of the early 20th century on the creation of these gardens.

Art, art history, and architecture inform landscape architect Lisa Gimmy’s work, the goal of which is to create garden spaces imbued with beauty, utility, and a strong sense of place. Since founding her firm, LGLA, in 1992 she has directed the design of landscapes for campuses, hotels, mixed-use commercial developments, and many private gardens. Gimmy earned her undergraduate degree in art history from the University of California, Santa Cruz and holds a master’s degree in landscape architecture from the Harvard University Graduate School of Design.

Top image: Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild. Photo by Lisa Gimmy.