Courtesy of Hudson View Gardens • publication date unknown
Thousands of trees, shrubs, perennials, climbers and evergreens from five to fifty years old contribute beauty and maturity to Hudson View Gardens
Dr. Paterno, tremendously interested in gardening, determined to develop the landscaping at Hudson View Gardens to the limit of its possibilities. Dr. Paterno numbered among his acquaintances Robert Cridland, famous landscape architect of Philadelphia. Mr. Cridland was retained and after studying the property, developed an ideal plan in the Fall of 1923. This landscaping was so ambitious that the wiseacres said it would never be carried out. But now that the work is completed the skeptics are silenced because the planting at Hudson View Gardens is more complete than planned by its designer. It seems like sacrilege to discuss trees and flowers in numerical terms, but for the benefit of readers who have not seen the Gardens, the statement that fifty six thousand two hundred items appear on invoices from nurseries and the like, conveys the idea that landscaping at Hudson View Gardens is not a mere garnish.
In July 1924 the newspapers announced that at Rockwood Hall, Tarrytown, the residence of the late William Rockefeller, were some fine evergreens and other plants for sale. The property was to be converted into golf links. Dr. Paterno rushed to Rockwood Hall and selected nearly three thousand evergreens, choice specimens, from five to fifty years old. This was a piece of rare luck, because if young nursery evergreens had been used, Hudson View Gardens would not be fully grown up for many years. Dr. Paterno bought only the finest and most valuable specimens which had been prized by William Rockefeller. They were strong, carefully pruned to perfect form, and hardy enough to withstand transplanting. Among the varieties were Japanese Cypress, Koster’s Blue Spruce, Scotch and Red Pines, Douglas Spruce, American Arbor Vitae, Hemlock, Yew and Juniper. All were successfully transplanted. The Rockwood Hall evergreens were supplemented by five thousand others gathered from many nurseries. From Dr. Paterno’s North Castle Farm, near Mt. Kisco, about five hundred American Cedars from five to thirty feet high were taken from their nursery to their permanent home at Hudson View Gardens. These tall Cedars form a background for all the landscaping and are really an architectural feature; each is placed where it will emphasize the architect’s vertical lines. Another feature of Hudson View Gardens landscaping is a quantity of English Boxwoods, large bushes ranging in age from twenty five to thirty years, about six feet high and the same in diameter. Every walk is lined with Japanese Barberry bushes, of which there are fourteen thousand in all! At the foot of outside walls is planted Boston Ivy, which in a few years will reach the stucco bays. Clematis, a quick climbing, bushy vine with clusters of white flowers is another species planted at the foot of the building walls.
In the Spring thousands of flowers will bloom at Hudson View Gardens. Two thousand rose bushes, dwarf and climbing varieties, beautify the Gardens with their color and sweeten the air with their fragrance. When the climbing roses bloom the rough stone retaining walls will be almost completely concealed. As the roses wither the air will be permeated with the fragrance of hundreds of honeysuckle plants, carefully planted among he roses.
Because the Gardens are on sloping terraces there are no lawns, but low growing bushes, intertwined with roses. Thus rich, loose top soil is exposed to the air, free to absorb copious quantities of life giving nitrogen, which is fed to the roots of this profusion of plants. Garden areas in the shadow of stone walls are covered with fragrant English myrtle, which thrives only in shade. This myrtle, by the way, also came from Rockwood Hall.
Five thousand perennials are planted here and there among the evergreens. Tall hollyhocks rise near sunny walls. Digitalis, larkspur, columbine, plume, poppies, corn flower, hardy pinks, blanket flower, baby’s breath, hardy sunflowers, hardy peas, crimson bergamot, forget-me-nots, blackberry lilies, Japanese bell flowers, painted daisies, hardy salvia, Stokes asters, Sweet William, torch lilies, garden heliotrope, tufted pansies, wall flowers, iris, peonies, and others all add the beauty of their form and color to the Gardens. From Holland twenty thousand bulbs were purchased, spring flower, varieties of tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, snowdrops, etc. Just for good measure many hybrid rhododendron, laurel and wisteria purchased from Rockwood Hall have been banked in the Garden courts.
The children’s playground is screened from the driveway by a clump of trees. Adjoining the playground is a formal rose garden with paths and benches shaded with umbrella trees. It is from the center of this Garden that Old Glory is to fly from these historic heights.
Uninitiated visitors will wonder why there are just four dwarf fruit trees, and apple, a peach, a plum and a pear, planted near the playground. Dr. Paterno transplanted these bearing trees from his farm so that the very young children of Hudson View Gardens would know that fruit does not originate in gaudily labeled cans. A number of flowering cherry trees are also in evidence, and Dr. Paterno does not expect to explain their significance on Washington Heights.
A number of Japanese dwarf maples have been scattered through the Gardens. Their bright red leaves add another touch of color. The first deciduous trees one views when visiting Hudson View Gardens are the fine young Norway maples which line both sides of West 183rd Street, the approach to Hudson View Garden, and both sides of Pinehurst Avenue. These are the only specimens not purchased and planted by Dr. Paterno. Without rhyme or reason, precedent of persuasion the City of New York planted these fine trees. Perhaps this is the way the City expresses its approval of Hudson View Gardens.
