A Secret Garden by the Sea


Travelers in search of Thuya Garden follow the coastal road until they spot the word “Asticou” carved into a granite block at the base of the hillside. This rock marks a meandering path upward through the majestic lichen-encrusted trees and low-bush blueberries that screen the garden from sight. It’s a short, gentle climb with rustic lookouts that invite one to rest and relish the view, but less hardy visitors can ascend by car on Thuya Drive.

Imposing carved cedar gates swing open to reveal the carefully planned Thuya Garden, which is centered on a lush green-grass alley. Handsome containers filled with an attractive mix of annuals, such as cosmos, heliotrope, and Scaevola, are placed strategically near the pavilions.


Emerging from the woods is Thuya Lodge, built in 1916 as a summerhouse by the land’s original owner, Joseph Henry Curtis, a Boston landscape architect and longtime summer resident of the area. The structure is named in honor of the many giant white cedar trees (Thuya occidentalis) that surround it.

The lodge stands near the entrance to the present gardens and now houses an impressive collection of botanical and horticultural books. Walking the pristine paths of Thuya Garden provides a good introduction to the many plants that thrive in Maine. Among them are various species of lilies, salvia, perennial and annual phlox, dahlias, Malva, astilbe, ageratum, Lavatera, rudbeckia, and Leucanthemum. Woodland shrubs serve as a buffer between the formal beds and the surrounding forest.


Although Joseph tamed the area near the house and planted an orchard, he never installed any formal gardens. Upon his death in 1928, the land was left in trust for the enjoyment of the residents and guests of Maine’s Mount Desert Island.

Enter the father of the present garden, Charles K. Savage—a local innkeeper and gifted artist, wood-carver, and garden designer. Appointed trustee of the land, a post he held for thirty-seven years, he began a major transformation in 1956 by clearing the orchard to make way for a semiformal English garden. A friend and devotee of famed landscape designer Beatrix Farrand, Charles was well versed in adapting English gardens to local growing conditions.


To create the garden’s impressive cedar gates, he called upon his talents as an artist and carver. The result: a fascinating series of carved squares, each depicting a species of local flora, fauna, or Native American symbols. In designing the garden, Charles began by replacing the orchard with a lush green-grass swath. He then defined the lawn with two double-sided English borders interrupted and crossed near the lower end with two smaller ones.

Because double-sided borders are viewed from all sides, they are among the most difficult to plant successfully, requiring more than the usual attention to plant heights, textures, and colors. At Thuya, the beds are composed of a ravishing mixture of perennials and annuals, and—like many Maine gardens—they seem to bloom more profusely in defiance of the short season.

Charles marked the northern end of the main axis with a garden pavilion reminiscent of a Japanese teahouse, while at the southern end, the lawn leads to a shallow reflecting pool. Granite steps and changes in level subtly acknowledge the rocky ledge underneath.

By planting woodland shrubs between the disciplined lawn area and the surrounding woods, he successfully married the formal and informal to create a harmonious whole. Under the watchful eye of The Island Foundation, a local nonprofit organization, the garden he planned with such devotion continues to bloom for flower lovers throughout the world. 

Text Emelie Tolley   
Photography Kate Sears

To learn more read “A Secret Garden by the Sea” on page 40 of the March/April 2010 issue of Victoria. 

1
2
Previous articleModern Comfort, Classic Style
Next articleOrange-Scented Carrot Layer Cake

1 COMMENT

  1. Thanks Victoria – just what the doctor ordered today as I look out the window at snow, ice and gray skies…

    Ah, Spring! I can’t wait to see flowers and trees in full bloom for myself! Will it ever arrive? (sigh…)

    God bless !

    Brandon Hartford
    Te Deum Cottage

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.