July 2014
When is a ‘gentleman’s folly’ also a lady’s delight? In the garden, as it turns out.
You might have noticed this charming structure in the landscape at the New London County Historical Society.
But how much do you really know about this whimsical garden accoutrement?
Pictured below is Jane Perkins, whose great-great grandfather built a residence here in the late eighteenth century. Jane is seated in the ‘summer house,’ an ornamental structure or gentleman’s folly that was thought to be the ideal place to spend a hot summer day.
With its wide-louvered exterior shutters and windows, air flowed in from the river, circulating through the summer house and creating an inviting micro-climate.
The dome-shaped ceiling also made this ornamental cottage a ‘whisper-room.’ An interior wrap-around bench could hold twelve people, while the acoustics in this space kept sotto voce conversations from turning into a game of telephone.
It’s easy to imagine this fanciful structure as a festive haunt for a gathering with friends or a favorite spot for a quiet retreat.
If you visit, you’ll notice that the summer house is not the only intriguing element in the landscape. Nor is it the oldest. That honor belongs to a structure that is much more down to earth. Do you recognize it?
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