A Summer Garden to Visit

This summer, I stumbled upon a hidden treasure - the gardens of Promisek, located at Three Rivers Farm in Bridgewater, Connecticut. It's among the 16 gardens featured on the state's historic garden tour. "Promisek" roughly means "land that goes on forever." The property is situated at the meeting point of the Housatonic, Shepaug, and Pond Brook Rivers and was originally a part of Brookfield Center.

The original 300-acre farm was purchased by Dr. Frederick Peterson, a renowned neurologist from New York, in 1916 as a summer residence for his family. In 1921, Peterson enlisted Beatrix Ferrand, a prominent landscape architect, to transform the property into an expansive garden and entertainment space for family and friends. Ferrand is regarded as one of the most significant American landscape architects of the 20th century. Her portfolio includes 200 known private gardens, estates, and institutions across the U.S.

In the 1920s, besides the creation of the garden, the property underwent numerous renovations. A music room was added adjacent to the garden, along with a greenhouse, amphitheater, and a kidney-shaped swimming pool, which was Ferrand's signature design. Throughout the 1930s, the property functioned as a working farm. In 1938, following Peterson's death, the property was sold to a farmer, leading to the neglect of the land, gardens, pool, and greenhouse. By the 1950s, the garden had nearly vanished. In 1978, the non-profit Promisek acquired the property, but only the stone walls and paths remained of the once magnificent garden. In 1992, local garden historian Pamela Edwards recognized the historic significance of the walled garden, initiating a restoration based on plans found in the Farrand archives at the University of California at Berkeley. Until 2008, local resident Kristin Havill acted as the Garden Conservator, adhering as closely as possible to Farrand’s design while adapting to changing conditions. Today, a team of garden volunteers maintains the garden, striving to adhere to the original plan. The beds along the stone-walled perimeter feature perennials in shades of pink, purple, white, and blue, with occasional surprises like a maroon dahlia. The inner beds showcase roses in pinks and reds, bordered by a delicate fringe of fragrant annuals.

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For details on garden tours and visiting hours at Promisek, please visit their website at: https://promisek.org/garden/

If you're up for an adventure and wish to explore more historic gardens, here's a list of additional gardens on the Connecticut tour. For further information, visit: https://cthistoricgardens.org/

"The essence of the enjoyment of a garden is that things should look

as if they have been there forever."

Beatrix Ferrand