Rose Standish Nichols
Encyclopedia
Rose Standish Nichols was an American landscape architect
from Boston
, Massachusetts
. Perhaps the first professional landscape architect in the U.S., Nichols worked for some 70 clients in the United States and abroad. Collaborators included David Adler
, Mac Griswold, Howard Van Doren Shaw
, and others. She also wrote articles about gardens for popular magazines such as House Beautiful
and House & Garden
, and published three books about European gardens, which were mostly well received.
. Her siblings included Margaret Homer A. Shurcliff (married to Arthur Shurcliff
) and Marian Clarke Nichols. Rose Nichols lived most of her life at 55 Mt. Vernon Street in the Beacon Hill neighborhood of Boston.
Nichols trained with Charles A. Platt
, Inigo Trigs; Constant-Désiré Despradelle at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
; with Benjamin Watson at the Bussey Institute
, Harvard University; and at the École des Beaux-Arts
. She also travelled in Europe, visiting parks and gardens such as those at Hampton Court Palace
, England. Around 1921 Nichols served the American Society of Landscape Architects
as Chairman of the Committee on the Garden Club of America.
In addition to her professional work as a landscape architect, Nichols was a peace activist. She established a discussion group, The League of Small Nations; participants included Clementine Churchill
and Edith Wilson. The group was a precursor to the Foreign Policy Association
. Nichols also travelled to peace conferences in Europe. In addition, she helped establish the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
.
In 1919 Nichols was elected an officer of the Boston Equal Suffrage Association. In 1937, Nichols attended an event organized by the New York Society of the Descendants of Signers of the Independence Declaration.
Portraits of Nichols have been made by Taylor Greer, Margarita Smyth, and others.
Landscape architect
A landscape architect is a person involved in the planning, design and sometimes direction of a landscape, garden, or distinct space. The professional practice is known as landscape architecture....
from Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. Perhaps the first professional landscape architect in the U.S., Nichols worked for some 70 clients in the United States and abroad. Collaborators included David Adler
David Adler
David Adler was a prolific architect, designing over 200 buildings...
, Mac Griswold, Howard Van Doren Shaw
Howard Van Doren Shaw
Howard Van Doren Shaw was an American architect. He became one of the best-known architects of his generation in the Chicago area.-Early life and career:...
, and others. She also wrote articles about gardens for popular magazines such as House Beautiful
House Beautiful
House Beautiful is an interior decorating magazine that focuses on decorating and the domestic arts. First published in 1896, it is currently published by the Hearst Corporation, who purchased it in 1934...
and House & Garden
House & Garden (magazine)
House & Garden was an American shelter magazine published by Condé Nast Publications that focused on interior design, entertaining, and gardening....
, and published three books about European gardens, which were mostly well received.
Biography
Nichols was the daughter of Arthur H. Nichols and Elizabeth Fisher Homer Nichols, and a niece of Augustus Saint-GaudensAugustus Saint-Gaudens
Augustus Saint-Gaudens was the Irish-born American sculptor of the Beaux-Arts generation who most embodied the ideals of the "American Renaissance"...
. Her siblings included Margaret Homer A. Shurcliff (married to Arthur Shurcliff
Arthur Asahel Shurcliff
Arthur Asahel Shurcliff was a noted American landscape architect. Born Arthur Asahel Shurtleff he changed his last name in 1930 in order, he said, to conform to the "ancient spelling of the family name." After over 30 years of success as a practicing landscape architect and town planner, in 1928...
) and Marian Clarke Nichols. Rose Nichols lived most of her life at 55 Mt. Vernon Street in the Beacon Hill neighborhood of Boston.
Nichols trained with Charles A. Platt
Charles A. Platt
Charles Adams Platt was a prominent artist, landscape gardener, landscape designer, and architect of the "American Renaissance" movement. His garden designs complemented his domestic architecture.-Early career:...
, Inigo Trigs; Constant-Désiré Despradelle at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
; with Benjamin Watson at the Bussey Institute
Bussey Institute
The Bussey Institute was a respected biological institute at Harvard University. It was named for Benjamin Bussey, who, in 1835, endowed the establishment of an undergraduate school of agriculture and horticulture and donated land in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts that became the Arnold Arboretum...
, Harvard University; and at the École des Beaux-Arts
École des Beaux-Arts
École des Beaux-Arts refers to a number of influential art schools in France. The most famous is the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts, now located on the left bank in Paris, across the Seine from the Louvre, in the 6th arrondissement. The school has a history spanning more than 350 years,...
. She also travelled in Europe, visiting parks and gardens such as those at Hampton Court Palace
Hampton Court Palace
Hampton Court Palace is a royal palace in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, Greater London; it has not been inhabited by the British royal family since the 18th century. The palace is located south west of Charing Cross and upstream of Central London on the River Thames...
, England. Around 1921 Nichols served the American Society of Landscape Architects
American Society of Landscape Architects
The American Society of Landscape Architects is the national professional association representing landscape architects, with more than 17,000 members in 48 chapters, representing all 50 states, U.S. territories, and 42 countries around the world, plus 68 student chapters...
as Chairman of the Committee on the Garden Club of America.
In addition to her professional work as a landscape architect, Nichols was a peace activist. She established a discussion group, The League of Small Nations; participants included Clementine Churchill
Clementine Churchill, Baroness Spencer-Churchill
Clementine Ogilvy Spencer-Churchill, Baroness Spencer-Churchill, GBE, CStJ was the wife of Sir Winston Churchill and a life peeress in her own right.-Early life:...
and Edith Wilson. The group was a precursor to the Foreign Policy Association
Foreign Policy Association
The Foreign Policy Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to inspiring the American public to learn more about the world. Founded in 1918, it serves as a catalyst for developing awareness, understanding of, and providing informed opinions on global issues...
. Nichols also travelled to peace conferences in Europe. In addition, she helped establish the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom was established in the United States in January 1915 as the Woman's Peace Party...
.
In 1919 Nichols was elected an officer of the Boston Equal Suffrage Association. In 1937, Nichols attended an event organized by the New York Society of the Descendants of Signers of the Independence Declaration.
Portraits of Nichols have been made by Taylor Greer, Margarita Smyth, and others.
Gardens and Parks
Rose Standish Nichols worked on parks and gardens for approximately 70 clients, in the United States and abroad:Books
- English pleasure gardens. New York, The Macmillan Company; London, Macmillan & Co., Ltd., 1902.
- Spanish & Portuguese gardens. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1924.
- Italian pleasure gardens. NY: Dodd, Mead & Co., 1928.
Articles
- A Newport House and Garden. House and Garden, April 1905.
- A glimpse of the pro-American queen and her gardens. House Beautiful, Aug. 1922, p. 110+.
- A Little Garden Hunt in England. House Beautiful, July 1923.
- A hilltop garden in New Hampshire. House Beautiful, March 1924.
- (Various other articles for House BeautifulHouse BeautifulHouse Beautiful is an interior decorating magazine that focuses on decorating and the domestic arts. First published in 1896, it is currently published by the Hearst Corporation, who purchased it in 1934...
).
Works about Nichols
- Century Magazine. May 1906.
- George Taloumis. Rose Standish Nichols: 60 years ago she organized the Beacon Hill Reading Club (1896). Boston Globe, Sept. 16, 1956.
- George Taloumis. Rose Standish Nichols as we knew her: a tribute to a friend. Boston: Friends of Rose Standish Nichols, 1986.
- Tankard, Judith. Rose Standish Nichols, A Proper Bostonian. Arnoldia (59) [4] p. 25–32.
External links
- Nichols House Museum, Boston.