On October 26th in Tregaron’s historic mansion, landscape historian and author Judith Tankard gave a talk on Ellen Biddle Shipman, the immensely talented woman who designed Tregaron’s landscape 100 years ago. Hailed as the “dean of American women landscape architects,” Ellen Shipman designed more than 600 gardens between 1914 and 1946. Her clients included the Fords, Astors, du Ponts, and other captains of industry. Ms. Tankard discussed Shipman’s remarkable life, her years in the artists’ colony in Cornish, New Hampshire, and her long association with architect Charles Platt. It was a fascinating evening as Ms. Tankard told the story of how a woman rose to the top of the male-dominated profession of landscape architecture in the early 1900s. Her slideshow of the many beautiful gardens designed by Ellen Shipman, including Tregaron, was a delight. The free lecture, held in handsome Davies Hall in the Mansion at Tregaron, was co-hosted by the Washington International School and the Tregaron Conservancy. Over 100 people attended the interesting lecture and lovely reception.
Below is a photo of one of Ms. Tankard’s many books on landscape architects. This one is of special importance to all of us in the Tregaron Conservancy. It is a beautiful book that brings Ellen Shipman’s fascinating journey and wonderful career to life!
