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Tour of Fairsted, Frederick Law Olmstead's Home

We visit Fairsted, the Brookline, Mass., home of Frederick Law Olmsted, the landscape architect responsible for most of this country's great public parks.

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Tour of Fairsted, Frederick Law Olmstead's Home

computer-generated transcript - may not be 100% accurate

" Now let's talk about. The landscape that we look at here is when I think of Victorian landscape design I think a very. Clinton ordered gardens and here it's kind of like looking at the the New England jungle if you will this this tree growing out of these."

" Rocks. What's the story."

" Well this is a very typical of -- to work he planted this hemlock. And accentuated. The landscape around this natural outcropping of rocks great putting stone you see right here OK so this tree has been here for a century that's correct it."

" Video all -- the topography in this area to create this drive."

" Yes this was one of the first major moves that don't -- did when he arrived he first moved the entrance from around the corner to this location inside of the house that's right yes and stay out this area which had historically had a natural slope to it to create a dry that's how they created this. This holiday and -- well right that's correct."

" I don't mean to offend but this doesn't look terrific."

" Well what you see as a landscape restoration in process. We have removed a lot of the volunteer growth that happened in the last century and -- are in the process of replacing missing plants that we do have some of the plants that were here during counts it's time notices vines running all over the place on top of the stones that -- is that something is typical of late nineteenth century planning well certainly have read it well almost -- where he used fines to cover everything. They covered the fans they covered this terrific -- yet it's not all -- re putting stone with with the is that you want this on top yes it's called you want him desperate to me I raddatz land that -- winter -- part of --"

" Now there there really beautiful part of the properties on the other side of the house several days. That's true. Barn is any of the plant material here surviving from homestead day yes most of what you see here today when it's less here. What's this for example. This us an idea no tax discussed the died when guys we're used to seeing you -- in the nursery and you can create hedges -- that this was actually gorgeous tree isn't it yes. And this flowering shrub over here this is not far and you have sure."

" It's fabulous so so fragrant and this is a very typical plant used in the about a victorians isn't it that's correct and you can buy today was this tree over that this is cucumbers magnolia. And this is a tremendous -- and this is a very historic trade."

" And then you have a path running right through here."

" And this is magnificent. And what do you call this tree."

" Now what are some of the real important specimens here."

" Well our most important. Plant and the entire property is this magnificent American town."

" Learn the American elm is an endangered species isn't it."

" That's correct -- American hands are disappearing from the American landscape because of the Dutch elm disease this is a spectacular specimen so this has been here since. Frederick law Olmstead stake in fact it was here when he arrived in the used as an organizing principle around which intact lance can let's create."

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