Video Tour: The Gardens of Dumbarton Oaks

Come along with us as we meander through the awe-inspiring gardens of Dumbarton Oaks and discover their underlying Arts & Crafts influences.

By Clare Martin

By strict definition, the 16 acres of gardens that flow out from the home of Dumbarton Oaks don't qualify as an Arts & Crafts garden. Much of the gently sloping space is formal and classical, meant to mirror the grand Federal-style home to which it is attached. (Ironically, it's this connection to the home that is one of the garden's main Arts & Crafts underpinnings, so deeply rooted was that idea in garden design of the era.) While many of landscape designer Beatrix Farrand's other gardens undoubtedly provide more evidence in support of the Arts & Crafts philosophies she embraced, her work at Dumbarton Oaks nonetheless hints at these concepts. Our short video tour will give you a bit of insight into the influences that drove Farrand when she created this garden—and give you a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the stunning spaces that make up Dumbarton Oaks.





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