Hillwood Museum & Gardens
Encyclopedia
Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens is a decorative arts museum in Washington, D.C.
, USA. The former residence of businesswoman, diplomat, philanthropist and collector Marjorie Merriweather Post
, Hillwood is known for its large decorative arts collection that focuses heavily on the House of Romanov. Included in the collection are Fabergé
eggs and 18th and 19th century French art
and one of the country's finest orchid collections.
, Post initiated a search for a new house. She wanted a stately home with fifteen-foot ceilings, sited on a large, thickly wooded spot. After the divorce was final, she bought Arbremont, a Georgian
Colonial estate in northwest Washington on the edge of Rock Creek Park
, rechristening it Hillwood, a name she had also used for her former property in Brookville
, Long Island
.
Arbremont, with its 36 rooms, had been built in the 1920s by Mrs. Delos A. Blodgett for her daughter, Helen Blodgett Erwin. After Post acquired it from the Erwins, she hired the architect Alexander McIlvaine to gut and rebuild its interior. The renovations, which included moving the library doors to frame a view of the Washington Monument
, were completed in 1956. Showcasing her collections including French, Asian and what Hillwood is most known for - Russian art and religious objects.
During her marriage with Davies, who served as the second Ambassador to the Soviet Union in the mid-1930s, she acquired a vast collection of objects from the pre-Bolshevik Russia, including a chandelier from the Catherine Palace
that hung in her breakfast nook, and Fabergé
art works including the Twelve Monograms Easter egg
. Post had her first guests to the house in May 1957 and hosted her first big party there on July 7, 1957. Hillwood quickly gained a reputation as one of Washington's "most extraordinary estates".
As a tribute to Post after her 70th birthday, 181 of her friends built "Friendship Walk", a path from Hillwoods rose garden to a crest overlooking Rock Creek Park.
Concerned with Hillwoods fate after her death, Post arranged in 1962 to bequeath the estate, along with a $10 million endowment to maintain it, to the Smithsonian Institution
so that it might be maintained as a museum. She made the bequeathal of Hillwood (as well as most of her other properties) contingent upon its being maintained and used according to her wishes (which included the condition that the estate not be used for dining), and she established the Marjorie Merriweather Post Foundation of the District of Columbia to ensure compliance: any property improperly used would revert to the Foundation. Post was residing at Hillwood when she died on September 12, 1973.
The Smithsonian declined to make the changes needed to convert Hillwood to a museum, and complained that by 1975 the endowment, producing $450,000 annual income, was insufficient to maintain the site. Accordingly, Hillwood and the majority of the collection was returned to the Post Foundation by April 1976.
Hillwood is now maintained by the Post Foundation as the Hillwood Museum and Gardens, showcasing 18th
and 19th century French art
and art treasures from Imperial Russia
.
Additional highlights include tapestries
from the 1730s, table services
collected by Catherine the Great, Russian Orthodox Church
objects such as icons and liturgical vessels
, rare lace
tablecloths, Wedgwood
ceramics, bloodstone
objects and jewelry by Harry Winston
and Cartier
.
Hillwood offers appointment-only access to their Art Research Library, which features a notable selection of Russian and European decorative art books and documents.
. The elliptical shape of the area allowed for an easy stream of cars in and out of the property. azaleas
, dogwoods
, and camellias
surround the area. The center of the court features a statue of a young Eros
surrounded by English ivy and boxwoods
. Eros holds a goat and pulls an arrow from his quiver, representing fertility and love. The Motor Court was designed by Innocenti and Webel.
gardens, the Hillwood parterre is a formal garden with low detailed plantings that are divided with footpaths and walls of English ivy. Again designed by Innocenti and Webel, the garden was split into four areas using channels of moving water, gravel footpaths and a central pool that is lined with Italian glass tile. A terra-cotta sculpture of Diana
overlooks the garden. She is accompanied by marble sphinxes
, a cherub
riding sea animals in the central pool, as well as outdoor furniture from Post's collection. This garden serves as a Post's tribute to 18th-century French aristocracy.
rose garden, to update the rose garden to her current tastes. Each bed is planted with a single variety of floribunda rose which bloom in the summer. A wood and brick pergola
travels through the rose garden with climbing roses
and white wisteria
, which is finished with boxwood. tulips
and sweet alyssum
also decorate the garden.
The rose garden also serves as the location of Post's ashes, which are placed in the base of a pink granite monument that is topped with an antique urn made of deep purple porphyry
. The monument features her coat of arms and the inscription, in Latin, that translates as "All my hopes rest in me."
and azaleas
.
, dogwood, cherry
, and crape myrtle. Each statue base has a plaque with the names of friends who contributed the gift gardens. The center stone of the walkway features an inscription from a postcard by Tsarina Alexandra Feoderovna stating "Friendship outstays the hurrying flight of years and aye abides through laughter and through tears."
which is surrounded by Japanese holly
. Magnolias and viburnum
surround the area as well.
and the National Symphony Orchestra. The Washington Monument
is visible from the lawn, which is framed by American elms
. Evergreen, false cypress, azaleas, camellias, dogwoods and magnolia are also found in the Lunar Lawn. Every season the horticulture staff rotates out flowers, a tradition set by Post. Tulips in the spring, annuals in the summer, chrysanthemums in the fall and pansies in the winter are planted.
A large statue of a lion, dating from early 18th century England, rests towards the house. 1960s blue and white lawn furniture is placed on the lawn during warm weather months adding a modern twist to an often historical seeming outdoor environment. A gold gilt swan fountain is placed on one wall, and satyr
s stand near the terrace.
, a small sculpture of a tortoise and small Tōrō
s are found throughout. Designed by landscape architect Shogo Myaida, the garden combines native and Japanese plants including Japanese pines
, Colorado blue spruce, maples, azaleas, and false cypress.
and groundcover surround limestone memorials of poodles
, hounds
and spaniels
. The last burial that took place in the cemetery was in 1972, Post's schnauzer
Scampi.
built in 1969, representational of pre-Cold War Russian culture. Surrounded by rhododendrons and azaleas, the building features whole-log architecture and detail carvings around the windows and door. The building houses changing exhibitions.
, the building, which was built ten years after Post's death, serve as a museum programming venue.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, USA. The former residence of businesswoman, diplomat, philanthropist and collector Marjorie Merriweather Post
Marjorie Merriweather Post
-External links:******...
, Hillwood is known for its large decorative arts collection that focuses heavily on the House of Romanov. Included in the collection are Fabergé
Fabergé
Fabergé may refer to:*House of Fabergé, a Russian jewelry firm founded by Gustav Faberge in 1842*Fabergé workmaster, goldsmiths who produced jewelry for the House of Fabergé*Fabergé eggs, the most famous works of the House of Faberge...
eggs and 18th and 19th century French art
French art
French art consists of the visual and plastic arts originating from the geographical area of France...
and one of the country's finest orchid collections.
History
As she arranged her divorce from her third husband, Joseph E. DaviesJoseph E. Davies
Joseph Edward Davies was appointed by President Wilson to be Commissioner of Corporations in 1912, and First Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission in 1915. He was the second Ambassador to represent the United States in the Soviet Union and U.S. Ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg...
, Post initiated a search for a new house. She wanted a stately home with fifteen-foot ceilings, sited on a large, thickly wooded spot. After the divorce was final, she bought Arbremont, a Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
Colonial estate in northwest Washington on the edge of Rock Creek Park
Rock Creek Park
Rock Creek Park is a large urban natural area with public park facilities that bisects Washington, D.C. The park is administered by the National Park Service.-Rock Creek Park:The main section of the park contains , or , along the Rock Creek Valley...
, rechristening it Hillwood, a name she had also used for her former property in Brookville
Brookville, New York
The Village of Brookville is a village located within the town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County, New York. As of the 2010 United States Census, the village population was 3,465....
, Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
.
Arbremont, with its 36 rooms, had been built in the 1920s by Mrs. Delos A. Blodgett for her daughter, Helen Blodgett Erwin. After Post acquired it from the Erwins, she hired the architect Alexander McIlvaine to gut and rebuild its interior. The renovations, which included moving the library doors to frame a view of the Washington Monument
Washington Monument
The Washington Monument is an obelisk near the west end of the National Mall in Washington, D.C., built to commemorate the first U.S. president, General George Washington...
, were completed in 1956. Showcasing her collections including French, Asian and what Hillwood is most known for - Russian art and religious objects.
During her marriage with Davies, who served as the second Ambassador to the Soviet Union in the mid-1930s, she acquired a vast collection of objects from the pre-Bolshevik Russia, including a chandelier from the Catherine Palace
Catherine Palace
The Catherine Palace was the Rococo summer residence of the Russian tsars, located in the town of Tsarskoye Selo , 25 km south-east of St. Petersburg, Russia.- History :...
that hung in her breakfast nook, and Fabergé
Fabergé
Fabergé may refer to:*House of Fabergé, a Russian jewelry firm founded by Gustav Faberge in 1842*Fabergé workmaster, goldsmiths who produced jewelry for the House of Fabergé*Fabergé eggs, the most famous works of the House of Faberge...
art works including the Twelve Monograms Easter egg
Twelve Monograms (Fabergé egg)
The Twelve Monograms is a jewelled Easter egg made under the supervision of the Russian jeweller Peter Carl Fabergé in 1895, for the then Tsar of Russia, Nicholas II....
. Post had her first guests to the house in May 1957 and hosted her first big party there on July 7, 1957. Hillwood quickly gained a reputation as one of Washington's "most extraordinary estates".
As a tribute to Post after her 70th birthday, 181 of her friends built "Friendship Walk", a path from Hillwoods rose garden to a crest overlooking Rock Creek Park.
Concerned with Hillwoods fate after her death, Post arranged in 1962 to bequeath the estate, along with a $10 million endowment to maintain it, to the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
so that it might be maintained as a museum. She made the bequeathal of Hillwood (as well as most of her other properties) contingent upon its being maintained and used according to her wishes (which included the condition that the estate not be used for dining), and she established the Marjorie Merriweather Post Foundation of the District of Columbia to ensure compliance: any property improperly used would revert to the Foundation. Post was residing at Hillwood when she died on September 12, 1973.
The Smithsonian declined to make the changes needed to convert Hillwood to a museum, and complained that by 1975 the endowment, producing $450,000 annual income, was insufficient to maintain the site. Accordingly, Hillwood and the majority of the collection was returned to the Post Foundation by April 1976.
Hillwood is now maintained by the Post Foundation as the Hillwood Museum and Gardens, showcasing 18th
French Rococo and Neoclassicism
18th-century French art was dominated by the Rococo and neoclassical movements. In France, the death of Louis XIV lead to a period of licentious freedom commonly called the Régence. The heir to Louis XIV, his great grandson Louis XV of France, was only 5 years old; for the next seven years France...
and 19th century French art
French art of the 19th century
19th-century French art was made in France or by French citizens during the following political regimes: Napoleon Bonaparte's Consulate and Empire , the Restoration under Louis XVIII and Charles X , the July Monarchy under Louis Philippe d'Orléans , the Second Republic , the Second Empire under...
and art treasures from Imperial Russia
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
.
Collections
Hillwood features over 17,000 objects from the original collection and selected objects collected after Post's death. Collection highlights include:- Portrait of Catherine the Great, a full-length portrait of Catherine II in her Russian elite finery.
- Two Chests of Drawers designed by Jean-Henri Riesener, official cabinetmaker of Louis XVI and Marie AntoinetteMarie AntoinetteMarie Antoinette ; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was an Archduchess of Austria and the Queen of France and of Navarre. She was the fifteenth and penultimate child of Holy Roman Empress Maria Theresa and Holy Roman Emperor Francis I....
. - The Duchess of Parma and Her Daughter by Jean-Marc NattierJean-Marc NattierJean-Marc Nattier , French painter, was born in Paris, the second son of Marc Nattier , a portrait painter, and of Marie Courtois , a miniaturist...
. - The Countess Samoilova and Her Foster Daughter by Karl BriullovKarl BriullovKarl Pavlovich Bryullov , also transliterated Briullov or Briuloff and referred to by his friends as "The Great Karl", was a Russian painter...
, 1834. - A Boyar Wedding Feast by Konstantin MakovskyKonstantin MakovskyKonstantin Yegorovich Makovsky was an influential Russian painter, affiliated with the "Peredvizhniki ". Many of his historical paintings, such as The Russian Bride's Attire , showed an idealized view of Russian life of prior centuries...
, 1883. - Imperial Easter Eggs, two House of Fabergé that were gifts to Maria Fedorovna from her son Nicholas II of RussiaNicholas II of RussiaNicholas II was the last Emperor of Russia, Grand Prince of Finland, and titular King of Poland. His official short title was Nicholas II, Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias and he is known as Saint Nicholas the Passion-Bearer by the Russian Orthodox Church.Nicholas II ruled from 1894 until...
. - Bleu Celeste Wares, from Manufacture nationale de SèvresManufacture nationale de SèvresThe manufacture nationale de Sèvres is a Frit porcelain porcelain tendre factory at Sèvres, France. Formerly a royal, then an imperial factory, the facility is now run by the Ministry of Culture.-Brief history:...
including a tureenTureenA tureen is a serving dish for foods such as soups or stews, often shaped as a broad, deep, oval vessel with fixed handles and a low domed cover with a knob or handle. Over the centuries, tureens have appeared in many different forms, some round, rectangular, or made into fanciful shapes such as...
from 1754. - Mrs. Post Portrait by Douglas Chandor, 1952.
- Chasuble (Felon'), Russian Orthodox liturgical vestmentVestmentVestments are liturgical garments and articles associated primarily with the Christian religion, especially among Latin Rite and other Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Anglicans, and Lutherans...
worn by a bishop during the coronationCoronationA coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...
of Nicholas II in 1896.
Additional highlights include tapestries
Tapestry
Tapestry is a form of textile art, traditionally woven on a vertical loom, however it can also be woven on a floor loom as well. It is composed of two sets of interlaced threads, those running parallel to the length and those parallel to the width ; the warp threads are set up under tension on a...
from the 1730s, table services
Tableware
Tableware is the dishes or dishware , dinnerware , or china used for setting a table, serving food, and for dining. Tableware can be meant to include flatware and glassware...
collected by Catherine the Great, Russian Orthodox Church
Russian Orthodox Church
The Russian Orthodox Church or, alternatively, the Moscow Patriarchate The ROC is often said to be the largest of the Eastern Orthodox churches in the world; including all the autocephalous churches under its umbrella, its adherents number over 150 million worldwide—about half of the 300 million...
objects such as icons and liturgical vessels
Chalice
A chalice is a goblet or footed cup intended to hold a drink. This can also refer to;* Holy Chalice, the vessel which Jesus used at the Last Supper to serve the wine* Chalice , a type of smoking pipe...
, rare lace
Lace
Lace is an openwork fabric, patterned with open holes in the work, made by machine or by hand. The holes can be formed via removal of threads or cloth from a previously woven fabric, but more often open spaces are created as part of the lace fabric. Lace-making is an ancient craft. True lace was...
tablecloths, Wedgwood
Wedgwood
Wedgwood, strictly speaking Josiah Wedgwood and Sons, is a pottery firm owned by KPS Capital Partners, a private equity company based in New York City, USA. Wedgwood was founded on May 1, 1759 by Josiah Wedgwood and in 1987 merged with Waterford Crystal to create Waterford Wedgwood, an...
ceramics, bloodstone
Heliotrope (mineral)
The mineral heliotrope, also known as bloodstone, is a form of chalcedony . The "classic" bloodstone is green chalcedony with red inclusions of iron oxide or red jasper...
objects and jewelry by Harry Winston
Harry Winston
Harry Winston was an American jeweler. He donated the Hope Diamond to the Smithsonian Institution in 1958 after owning it for a decade, and traded the Portuguese Diamond to the Smithsonian in 1963.-History:...
and Cartier
Cartier SA
Cartier S.A., commonly known as Cartier , is a French luxury jeweler and watch manufacturer. The corporation carries the name of the Cartier family of jewellers whose control ended in 1964 and who were known for numerous pieces including the "Bestiary" , the diamond necklace created for Bhupinder...
.
Hillwood offers appointment-only access to their Art Research Library, which features a notable selection of Russian and European decorative art books and documents.
Gardens and grounds
In 1926, landscape architect Willard Gebhart designed Hillwood, creating a landscape molded around the twenty-five acres owned by Post. When renovating Hillwood, Post incorporated many of the garden designs into her interior design. Creating the 'garden rooms' which feature touches unique to the Lunar Lawn and Rose Garden. Post's breakfast nook even includes an inside garden of orchids, bringing the outside in.Motor Court
The first area of arrival for guests, who were escorted into the house by her butlerButler
A butler is a domestic worker in a large household. In great houses, the household is sometimes divided into departments with the butler in charge of the dining room, wine cellar, and pantry. Some also have charge of the entire parlour floor, and housekeepers caring for the entire house and its...
. The elliptical shape of the area allowed for an easy stream of cars in and out of the property. azaleas
Azalea
Azaleas are flowering shrubs comprising two of the eight subgenera of the genus Rhododendron, Pentanthera and Tsutsuji . Azaleas bloom in spring, their flowers often lasting several weeks...
, dogwoods
Dogwood
The genus Cornus is a group of about 30-60 species of woody plants in the family Cornaceae, commonly known as dogwoods. Most dogwoods are deciduous trees or shrubs, but a few species are nearly herbaceous perennial subshrubs, and a few of the woody species are evergreen...
, and camellias
Camellia
Camellia, the camellias, is a genus of flowering plants in the family Theaceae. They are found in eastern and southern Asia, from the Himalaya east to Korea and Indonesia. There are 100–250 described species, with some controversy over the exact number...
surround the area. The center of the court features a statue of a young Eros
Eros
Eros , in Greek mythology, was the Greek god of love. His Roman counterpart was Cupid . Some myths make him a primordial god, while in other myths, he is the son of Aphrodite....
surrounded by English ivy and boxwoods
Boxwood
Boxwood may refer to:*Buxus, a genus of about 70 species of shrubs and trees in the family Buxaceæ, which in North America is called "boxwood"*Buxus sempervirens, the most common species of Buxus, which is known as "boxwood" in United Kingdom...
. Eros holds a goat and pulls an arrow from his quiver, representing fertility and love. The Motor Court was designed by Innocenti and Webel.
French Parterre
Following the tradition of parterreParterre
A parterre is a formal garden construction on a level surface consisting of planting beds, edged in stone or tightly clipped hedging, and gravel paths arranged to form a pleasing, usually symmetrical pattern. Parterres need not have any flowers at all...
gardens, the Hillwood parterre is a formal garden with low detailed plantings that are divided with footpaths and walls of English ivy. Again designed by Innocenti and Webel, the garden was split into four areas using channels of moving water, gravel footpaths and a central pool that is lined with Italian glass tile. A terra-cotta sculpture of Diana
Diana (mythology)
In Roman mythology, Diana was the goddess of the hunt and moon and birthing, being associated with wild animals and woodland, and having the power to talk to and control animals. She was equated with the Greek goddess Artemis, though she had an independent origin in Italy...
overlooks the garden. She is accompanied by marble sphinxes
Sphinx
A sphinx is a mythical creature with a lion's body and a human head or a cat head.The sphinx, in Greek tradition, has the haunches of a lion, the wings of a great bird, and the face of a woman. She is mythicised as treacherous and merciless...
, a cherub
Cherub
A cherub is a type of spiritual being mentioned in the Hebrew Bible and cited later on in the Christian biblical canons, usually associated with the presence of God...
riding sea animals in the central pool, as well as outdoor furniture from Post's collection. This garden serves as a Post's tribute to 18th-century French aristocracy.
Rose Garden
In 1956 Post hired Perry Wheeler, who designed the White HouseWhite House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
rose garden, to update the rose garden to her current tastes. Each bed is planted with a single variety of floribunda rose which bloom in the summer. A wood and brick pergola
Pergola
A pergola, arbor or arbour is a garden feature forming a shaded walkway, passageway or sitting area of vertical posts or pillars that usually support cross-beams and a sturdy open lattice, often upon which woody vines are trained...
travels through the rose garden with climbing roses
Rose
A rose is a woody perennial of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae. There are over 100 species. They form a group of erect shrubs, and climbing or trailing plants, with stems that are often armed with sharp prickles. Flowers are large and showy, in colours ranging from white through yellows...
and white wisteria
Wisteria
Wisteria is a genus of flowering plants in the pea family, Fabaceae, that includes ten species of woody climbing vines native to the eastern United States and to China, Korea, and Japan. Aquarists refer to the species Hygrophila difformis, in the family Acanthaceae, as Water Wisteria...
, which is finished with boxwood. tulips
Tulip
The tulip is a perennial, bulbous plant with showy flowers in the genus Tulipa, which comprises 109 species and belongs to the family Liliaceae. The genus's native range extends from as far west as Southern Europe, North Africa, Anatolia, and Iran to the Northwest of China. The tulip's centre of...
and sweet alyssum
Lobularia maritima
Lobularia maritima, common name Sweet Alyssum or Sweet Alison, also commonly referred to as just Alyssum from the genus in which it was formerly classified, is a low-growing flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae.-Etymology:...
also decorate the garden.
The rose garden also serves as the location of Post's ashes, which are placed in the base of a pink granite monument that is topped with an antique urn made of deep purple porphyry
Porphyry (geology)
Porphyry is a variety of igneous rock consisting of large-grained crystals, such as feldspar or quartz, dispersed in a fine-grained feldspathic matrix or groundmass. The larger crystals are called phenocrysts...
. The monument features her coat of arms and the inscription, in Latin, that translates as "All my hopes rest in me."
Friendship Walk
A simple English inspired garden walk was a gift to Post from her friends in 1957. Lined with boxwood, rhododendronsRhododendron
Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...
and azaleas
Azalea
Azaleas are flowering shrubs comprising two of the eight subgenera of the genus Rhododendron, Pentanthera and Tsutsuji . Azaleas bloom in spring, their flowers often lasting several weeks...
.
Four Seasons Overlook
An additional gift from her friends in 1957, four statues representing the seasons stand in a circular overlook surrounded by trees such as magnoliaMagnolia
Magnolia is a large genus of about 210 flowering plant species in the subfamily Magnolioideae of the family Magnoliaceae. It is named after French botanist Pierre Magnol....
, dogwood, cherry
Cherry Tree
Cherry Tree may refer to:* A tree that produces cherries* An ornamental cherry tree that produces cherry blossomsPlaces* Cherry Tree, Pennsylvania, a borough in Indiana County, Pennsylvania, United States* Cherry Tree, Oklahoma...
, and crape myrtle. Each statue base has a plaque with the names of friends who contributed the gift gardens. The center stone of the walkway features an inscription from a postcard by Tsarina Alexandra Feoderovna stating "Friendship outstays the hurrying flight of years and aye abides through laughter and through tears."
Putting Green
A putting green, frequently used by Post, consists of closely cut bentgrassAgrostis
Agrostis is a genus of over 100 species belonging to the grass family Poaceae, commonly referred to as the bent grasses...
which is surrounded by Japanese holly
Japanese Holly
Ilex crenata is a species of holly native to eastern China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Sakhalin....
. Magnolias and viburnum
Viburnum
Viburnum is a genus of about 150–175 species of shrubs or small trees in the moschatel family, Adoxaceae. Its current classification is based on molecular phylogeny...
surround the area as well.
Lunar Lawn
Named after its crescent shaped design, the Lunar Lawn served as the scene of parties and special events during warm weather months at Hillwood. Events were hosted for the likes of the Boy Scouts of AmericaBoy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
and the National Symphony Orchestra. The Washington Monument
Washington Monument
The Washington Monument is an obelisk near the west end of the National Mall in Washington, D.C., built to commemorate the first U.S. president, General George Washington...
is visible from the lawn, which is framed by American elms
American Elm
Ulmus americana, generally known as the American Elm or, less commonly, as the White Elm or Water Elm, is a species native to eastern North America, occurring from Nova Scotia west to Alberta and Montana, and south to Florida and central Texas. The American elm is an extremely hardy tree that can...
. Evergreen, false cypress, azaleas, camellias, dogwoods and magnolia are also found in the Lunar Lawn. Every season the horticulture staff rotates out flowers, a tradition set by Post. Tulips in the spring, annuals in the summer, chrysanthemums in the fall and pansies in the winter are planted.
A large statue of a lion, dating from early 18th century England, rests towards the house. 1960s blue and white lawn furniture is placed on the lawn during warm weather months adding a modern twist to an often historical seeming outdoor environment. A gold gilt swan fountain is placed on one wall, and satyr
Satyr
In Greek mythology, satyrs are a troop of male companions of Pan and Dionysus — "satyresses" were a late invention of poets — that roamed the woods and mountains. In myths they are often associated with pipe-playing....
s stand near the terrace.
Japanese-Style garden
The entrance to the Japanese garden features stone guard dogs and a tall granite lantern. A stream cascades along the hillside and pools appear as well, with stones placed in them to provide safe crossing. A figurine of HoteiHotei
Budai , pronounced Hotei in Japanese, Bố Đại in Vietnamese, is a Chinese folkloric deity. His name means "Cloth Sack," and comes from the bag that he is conventionally depicted as carrying. He is usually identified with Maitreya Buddha, so much so that the Budai image is one of the main forms in...
, a small sculpture of a tortoise and small Tōrō
Tōrō
A "灯篭" is just a simplified form of "灯籠". is a Japanese lantern made of stone, wood, or metal traditional in the Far East. In China extant specimen are very rare, and in Korea too they are not as common as in Japan. In Japan, tōrō were originally used only in Buddhist temples, where they lined and...
s are found throughout. Designed by landscape architect Shogo Myaida, the garden combines native and Japanese plants including Japanese pines
Japanese Red Pine
The Japanese Red Pine has a home range that includes Japan, Korea, northeastern China and the extreme southeast of Russia . This pine has become a popular ornamental and has several cultivars, but in the winter it becomes yellowish. The height of this tree is 20–35 m...
, Colorado blue spruce, maples, azaleas, and false cypress.
Pet cemetery
Post lived with numerous pet dogs throughout her lifetime and chose to memorialize them on the Hillwood grounds. Dogtooth violets, sweetboxSweetbox
Sweetbox is a Los Angeles based pop music project formed in 1995 by executive producer Heiko Schmidt and music producer Roberto "Geo" Rosan.Throughout the years Sweetbox has had several leading women including Kimberly Kearney, Dacia Bridges, Tina Harris, Jade Villalon and most recently and...
and groundcover surround limestone memorials of poodles
Poodle
The Poodle is a breed of dog. The poodle breed is found officially in toy, miniature, and standard sizes, with many coat colors. Originally bred as a type of water dog, the poodle is highly intelligent and skillful in many dog sports, including agility, obedience, tracking, and even herding...
, hounds
Hound
A hound is a type of dog that assists hunters by tracking or chasing the animal being hunted. It can be contrasted with the gun dog, which assists hunters by identifying the location of prey, and with the retriever, which recovers shot quarry...
and spaniels
Spaniel
A spaniel is a type of gun dog. It is assumed spaniels originated from Spain as the word spaniel may be derived from Hispania or possibly from the French phrase "Chiens de l’Espagnol" . Spaniels were especially bred to flush game out of dense brush. By the late 17th century spaniels had become...
. The last burial that took place in the cemetery was in 1972, Post's schnauzer
Schnauzer
A Schnauzer is a German dog type that originated in Germany in the 15th and 16th centuries. The term comes from Schnauze , the German word for "snout", because of the dog's distinctively bearded snout. The word Schnauzer also means moustache in German; some authorities, such as Encyclopædia...
Scampi.
Dacha
Amongst the gardens and woods is a dachaDacha
Dacha is a Russian word for seasonal or year-round second homes often located in the exurbs of Soviet and post-Soviet cities. Cottages or shacks serving as family's main or only home are not considered dachas, although many purpose-built dachas are recently being converted for year-round residence...
built in 1969, representational of pre-Cold War Russian culture. Surrounded by rhododendrons and azaleas, the building features whole-log architecture and detail carvings around the windows and door. The building houses changing exhibitions.
Cutting garden and greenhouse
The cutting gardens serve as the Hillwood's main source for fresh flowers, as per Post's desire to have fresh flower arrangements throughout the house and grounds year round. The selection of flowers dates back to the 1950s, while the greenhouse was rebuilt in 1996 and looks as it did when Post was alive. The greenhouse serves as horticulture staff offices, work spaces, and home to Hillwoods famous collection of orchids.Adirondack Building
Representative of Post's retreat, Camp Topridge in the Adirondack MountainsAdirondack Mountains
The Adirondack Mountains are a mountain range located in the northeastern part of New York, that runs through Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Lewis, Saint Lawrence, Saratoga, Warren, and Washington counties....
, the building, which was built ten years after Post's death, serve as a museum programming venue.