New Orleans -- Rosemonde's (Capomazza) Garden

General
This formal garden on a small urban lot has grown but not changed since it was designed in 1974 and 1977. The old brick walls built by the owner's father circa 1940 are visible through the trunks of cherry laurel. Geometric rows of trimmed hedges include white and salmon azaleas, white camellias, and the lowest row of dwarf boxwood with brick edging softened by mondo grass. There is a ribbon of color between the hedges that is changed out seasonally, with apricot tulips, pink and white Angelonia or white vinca. Four antique French statues of musical cherubs have been raised on plinths with apricot hybrid tea roses and white hawthorn shrubs filling the gap between hedges. Two lion head wall fountains continually spray into a curving pool painted dark charcoal. A large Japanese magnolia planted in the 1950's, holly fern, fatsia, wood iris, ligularia, and containers with boxwood balls and trailing white vinca soften the brick hardscape. On one side of the garden the rows of hedges were planted in a serpentine curve, departing from the strict linear pattern. Other than needed replacements and changing out the rows of seasonal plants the owner intends to keep the garden very much the same. Persons associated with the garden include: Mr. and Mrs. Emile Kuntz (former owners, 1938-1973); Mr. and Mrs. Carlo Capomazza (owners, 1973- ); Rene Gelpi (architect, date unknown); Dorothy (Baby) Hardie (landscape architect, 1974); Vaughn Banting (landscape designer, 1977); Franklin Andira (gardener, 2008- ).
Landscape designer
Banting, Vaughn Lionel
Provenance
New Orleans Town Gardeners, Inc.
Owner
Capomazza, Carlo
Architect
Gelpi, Rene
Photographer
French, Flora
Freeman, Tina
Collection Creator
Garden Club of America
Place
Capomazza (New Orleans, Louisiana)
United States of America -- Louisiana -- Orleans Parish -- New Orleans
Topic
Urban gardens
Gardens -- Louisiana -- New Orleans
Formal gardens
Landscape designer
Banting, Vaughn Lionel
Provenance
New Orleans Town Gardeners, Inc.
Owner
Capomazza, Carlo
Architect
Gelpi, Rene
Photographer
French, Flora
Freeman, Tina
See more items in
The Garden Club of America collection
The Garden Club of America collection / Series 1: United States Gardens / Louisiana
Sponsor
A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.
Custodial History
New Orleans Town Gardeners facilitated the 2019 submission of this garden's documentation.
Archival Repository
Archives of American Gardens
Identifier
AAG.GCA, File LA019
Type
Archival materials
Collection Citation
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
Collection Rights
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Scope and Contents
2 folders and 11 35mm slides and 10 digital images. Images 001-011 photographed by Vaughn L. Banting. Images 012 and 19-020 photographed by Flora French. Images 013-018 and 021 copyrighted by Tina Freedman.
Collection Restrictions
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.