The Bakwin Garden: A Woodland Treasure in New York’s Hudson Valley

For years I have driven by the stately entrance to the Bakwin house and grounds in Ossining, NY, north of New York City, and wished I could peer inside. Thanks to Michael Bakwin and the Garden Conservancy Open Days that opportunity presented itself on a clear and dry August morning. I visited the 50 acre property on the day it was open to the public and was greeted by Mr. Bakwin and Ed Impara, horticulturalist and head of the grounds. Ed very kindly walked around a portion of the 10-acre landscaped grounds with me, pointing out his selection of plants for the diverse habitats that are typical of the rugged native landscape of southern New York State.

The first thing that caught my eye was the three-acre pond and the Tudor-style house perched on a rock outcrop, overlooking the water. It was built by Mr. Bakwin’s parents in 1932 who must have known about the power of a high point because its location is quite commanding. From here, you can enjoy panoramic views of the gardens, towering trees and a distant orchard and vegetable garden.

Left: On the pond’s edge, White Angel’s Trumpet (Datura inoxia) blooms alongside multi-colored Croton foliage and the sunny Black Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Goldsturm’). In the distance, floating in the pond, is Mr. Bakwin’s favorite rubber duck.

As usual, the magic of water is a primary draw and you cannot help but head straight to the pond. Many beautiful plantings can be found here, including a Japanese-inspired garden.

There is also an inviting red bridge that leads to a rustic walk that loops around the entire pond. The choice of red for the bridge follows Asian tradition and creates a punchy contrast to all the green. It looks especially good next to the ‘Dragon’s Eye’ Japanese red pine (Pinus densiflora 'Oculus Draconis').

The Japanese-inspired rock garden is one of the areas Ed Impara has been working on. He has installed a collection of plants around an existing rock outcrop and added small gravel to accent the natural stones. The challenge is to find plants that fit the style and can tolerate the rocky conditions. Here, a golden threadleaf Chamaecyparis and dwarf Japanese maple co-exist with ground-hugging sedum and small grass-like sedges.

Other fabulous pondside plantings include the dramatic ‘Luna White’ Hibiscus (Hibiscus moscheutos ‘Luna White’). This hardy Hibiscus is at its best in August with its large, dreamy white flowers that sport a burgundy-red eye center, a great attraction for hummingbirds. This relatively short plant, growing no higher than 4 feet, was in its glory with a large number of 8-inch diameter flowers. It looked refreshing next to the water and was eye-catching from afar. This variety is perfect if you are thinking of creating a ‘white’ summer garden.

I also found two of my favorite perennial plants planted nearby. The first is clustered mountainmint (Pycnanthemum muticum). It blooms in August and the nectar it provides makes it a pollinator magnet, attracting butterflies, bees, wasps and moths. The other is the moisture-loving, variegated Japanese iris (Iris ensata ‘Variegata’), providing a vigorous accent of grassy green and white-striped leaves in summer. In spring it has delicate purple flowers. The combination of the two plants, shown here, creates a serene and fairly trouble-free white garden.

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The Bakwin residence is a Tudor-style house built from local fieldstone and festooned with flower boxes. It has a magnificent cobblestone parking area and drive. The house is nestled among tall trees and its rustic materials and subdued colors help it appear as a seamless part of the woodland landscape. It was designed for entertaining and Mr. Bakwin’s parents, who were great art collectors, would have many noteworthy visitors including the mid-century artists Alexander Calder, Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, among others.

The quaint cobblestones in the driveway make an enchanting contrast to the perennial, woodland flowers planted along its edge. On this August day I was quite taken with the grapeleaf anemone ( Anemone tomentosa ‘Robustissima’). This is the easiest anemone to grow and also the hardiest of fall-blooming anemones. It puts on a reliable late-summer, soft-pink display in full sun to part shade. Its grape-like leaves spread exuberantly and it looks great against the purple flowers of summer-blooming hosta, shown in the background.

One of the best parts of walking around the Bakwin Garden—for me—was finding the various sculptures dotted around the grounds. Mr. Bakwin has continued his family tradition of collecting and displaying fine art. I was pleasantly surprised to find this beautiful lady sitting on a large rock outcrop. The art piece is by the famous sculptor, Antoniucci Volti (1915 -1989), who lived most of his life in France. I think artful accents like this always seem happier when placed in a beautiful garden.

But you do not have to own expensive sculpture to create an artful accent in your garden! Here, a piece of aged driftwood is the center of the gravel garden. This natural feature, with its deep gray color, fissured texture and striking modern form is just as stunning as any fine art piece. The contrast with the grassy foliage and rock outcrops makes it especially appealing. Art is most certainly in the eye of the beholder.

The shady environs of much of the Bakwin property makes it hospitable for many popular shade perennials. In one area, a long bed of the variegated Solomon’s seal (Polygonum odoratum ‘Variegatum’) acts as a foundation planting of sorts at the base of the house. This plant, named the 2013 Perennial Plant of the Year by the members of the Perennial Plant Association, attests to its time-tested durability. It is hardy, adaptable, low-maintenance, and generally pest free and disease resistant. Best of all, it looks great spring through fall!

About the Author
Jan Johnsen has a knack for making gardens look glorious and feel harmonious. Get her book here: Heaven is a Garden: Designing Serene Spaces for Inspiration and Reflection