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Esteemed landscape designer Laurie Olin , whose studio apartment create outdoor spaces throughout the world , has done some of his finest work in his home theme of Philadelphia . His latest at - home undertaking is the garden at the “ novel ” Barnes Foundation , an art and horticulture instauration that was recently impress from its original holding in Merion , PA to its current site in downtown Philadelphia . I wondered : Would it be a compact variation of the twelve - acre arboretum at the original place , or its own tonic expression of urban landscaping . On a late gay day I wandered through the Barnes Foundation to find some answer .
Olin ’s gardens incorporates vary texture , distinguishable patch of shade and sun , and the voiced framing of a Edward Durell Stone edifice which Laura Barnes , wife of the great gatherer / founder Dr. Albert Barnes , used in her 1940 design of the Merion grounds . A paseo line with London Plane trees , horse chestnuts , and middle - kill red Nipponese maples gently guides the visitant from the parkway curb to the entrance . On the elbow room , you pass the farseeing satiny horizontal H2O board and the silklike stainless steel Barnes Totem by Ellsworth Kelly .
Much of the landscape grain come from vertical and horizontal collocation . climb hydrangea , Japanese climbing hydrangea , virgin ’s bower clematis , Boston ivy and half twelve others are require hold of trellising and architectural concrete walls . Arborvitae hide no - nonsense fencing . It all blends down into close planted beds of hostas and annuals ( more will fill in some blanks ) and small aprons of lawn .
The patio garden link up visually with the neighboring Rodin Museum and its gardens . And , yes , there is literally a garden within the Barnes — a trash box , exposed to the sky three stories above , crammed with woody ferns , gingko and sweetgum tree diagram . And when winter make out , wintertime jasmin will brighten thing when stale weather come .
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