Two plans for The Morton Arboretum, Sterling Morton Library Reading Garden (3.24603)
Date: 1962Creator: Watts, May Theilgaard
Type: Drawing
Description:Two sketched horseshoe-shaped plans for the Sterling Morton Library Reading Garden, including suggestions for planting, furniture, exposures, layout and features.
Center text between the two sketches: An impractical plan for an an outdoor reading room adjoining the new library - no scale - M.T. Watts fecit
Bottom right corner text below Plan #2: Any exposure - M.T. Watts suggestor demeritus
Plan #1 suggestions:
- Grass throughout
- Along south side of garden:
- Library
- Eye of the librarian watching over entire garden
- Seat in the sun and for a cold day on both sides of the glass doors
- Circular platform with 2 steps going into garden so that there can be a lecture platform
- Espaliered Pears for the walls on both sides of the glass doors
- Along east side of garden
- Book tree - expendable, paper-bound books for free browsing
- Some tall things to make long shadows in the afternoon
- Table for small group
- Along west side of garden
- White pine to say "Sh..." for the librarian
- Sweetbrier rose to make smell of applesauce
- Wall with perhaps some niches, and /or some good tiles
- Seats connected by small tables but no togetherness
- Book tree - expendable, paper-bound books for free browsing
- Along north side of garden
- Thorny things
- Wall fountain dribbling quietly
- Mossy north wall with ferns at its base
Text at top of plan: I like this better (one can read in the rain)
- Wall lining entire garden
- Cloister - walk along wall lining entire garden - paved old brick? (detailed sketch of interior below garden sketch, including books for browsers and vine)
- Along south side of garden:
- Wall fountain in the shape of a lion's head drooling contentedly
- Doors to Library on both sides of the wall fountain
- Along east side of garden:
- Ground covers
- Vine
- Along west side of garden
- Ground covers
- Vine
- 1 step up
- Along north side of garden
- Steps on both sides to make raised platform for book talks
- Beech tree because books are all named for it
- Ferns under beech tree
Extent: 1 sheet
Plan for The Morton Arboretum, Sterling Morton Library Reading Garden-north end (3.24634)
Date: 1962Creator: Watts, May Theilgaard
Type: Drawing
Description:Sketches of plans for the north-facing end of the Sterling Morton Library Reading Garden showing a wall, tables and chairs, book tree and pool. Also includes suggestions for planting.
Sketches divided into 3 sections:
Section 1: Sketch of sitting area with roof along north-end garden wall
Notations written:
- Above left side of roof: An inconspicuous prism to throw a rainbow into the garden occasionally
- Above chair: gray painted aluminum
- Next to pole for roof support: iron
- Next to right side of roof: The white pine outside the wall has wind chimes somewhere in its branches
- Above side view of roof sketch: slate (or tin) wall
- Below sketch of sitting area: The north-facing end of the Reading Garden??
Notations written:
- Far left of the book tree sketch: The sunny wall at the other end could have a wall fountain, and a mobile hung from a tree to make interesting moving shadows, - or espaliered pears
- Just below book shelves on the left: sectional to allow for tree growth
- To the right of top portion of tree (above shelving): Not a honey locust Not a pin oak [crossed out]
- Next to top right of shelving: concealed shades for rain
- Next to bottom right of shelving: hooks for shades
Notations written:
- Far top left corner: pine
- Top left next to bench and table: ferns
- Far bottom left corner: sweetbrier roses to send the smell of new summer applesauce into the garden
- Next to bottom middle planting area across from pool: Poison Ivy [crossed out] Euonymus planting to keep people away from the opening, and for fall color
- Above top right corner: Plantsmen tile strip all around wall
Extent: 1 sheet
Suggestion for The Morton Arboretum, Sterling Morton Library Reading Garden wall (3.24635)
Date: 1962Creator: Watts, May Theilgaard
Type: Drawing
Description:Sketch of proposed Sterling Morton Library Reading Garden wall with tiles near the top featuring the names of prominent botanical figures alternating with tiles featuring different plants.
Text written in bottom left corner:
A suggestion for a row of tiles as a part of the wall of the Reading Garden. Probably they should be soft tan with the picture tiles in black and the name in a red-brown?
Five names on tiles alongside plant tiles toward top of wall:
Carolus Linnaeus
Andre Michaux
Pierre Joseph Redouté
Le Notre
Kristian Konrad Sprengel
Extent: 1 sheet
Sterling Morton Library, view into May Theilgaard Watts Reading Garden through glass door (3.3305)
Date: 1960sCreator: Korling, Torkel
Type: Photographic image
Description:Sterling Morton Library, view from east side of reading room into May Theilgaard Watts Reading Garden through lettering on glass door
Extent: 1 photograph
May T. Watts Reading Garden, ground shot looking up at engraved slate and plantings (3.3306)
Date: 1960sType: Photographic image
Description:May T. Watts Reading Garden, ground shot looking up at engraved slate and plantings
Planter box on left, white pine in the background
Slate artist: Fr. Catich at St. Ambrose College, Davenport, Iowa
Extent: 1 photograph
May T. Watts Reading Garden, view looking southwest (3.3307)
Date: 1960sCreator: Korling, Torkel
Type: Photographic image
Description:May T. Watts Reading Garden, view looking southwest
Table with flowers, books, and tools around trunk of hawthorn in foreground
Ginkgo only about 8 ft. tall
Extent: 1 photograph
May T. Watts Reading Garden, southwest corner showing pergola (3.3308)
Date: circa 1968 – 1970Creator: Burgess, Lorraine Marshall
Type: Photographic image
Description:May T. Watts Reading Garden, southwest corner showing pergola with clay tiles commemorating botanists along shelf on wall
Extent: 1 photograph
May T. Watts Reading Garden, Suzette Morton Zurcher seated near fountain (3.3309)
Type: Photographic image
Description:May T. Watts Reading Garden, Suzette Morton Zurcher seated near fountain
Extent: 1 photograph
May T. Watts Reading Garden slate, engraved by Fr. Catich (3.3315)
Date: 1960sType: Photographic image
Description:May T. Watts Reading Garden slate, engraved by Fr. Catich from St. Ambrose College, Davenport, Iowa
Fountain plume calligraphy also done by Fr. Catich
Extent: 1 photograph
Michael T. Stieber giving summer talk in May T. Watts Reading Garden (3.3322)
Date: circa 1988Type: Photographic image
Description:Michael T. Stieber giving summer talk in May T. Watts Reading Garden
Extent: 1 photograph
May T. Watts Reading Garden fountain looking southwest (3.3329)
Creator: Kohout, John
Type: Photographic image
Description:May T. Watts Reading Garden fountain looking southwest
Extent: 1 photograph
May T. Watts' sister and daughter in the May T. Watts Reading Garden (3.33941)
Date: 1988Type: Photographic image
Description:May T. Watts' sister and daughter Erica pose together in the May T. Watts Reading Garden at the Sterling Morton Library's 25th Anniversary.
Extent: 1 photograph
Map & Visitor Guide, The Morton Arboretum (3.34271)
Date: 1982 – 1986Type: Map
Description:Double-sided brochure, Map & Visitor Guide for The Morton Arboretum
Map details Arboretum roads, trails, plant collections, buildings and boundaries. Includes photographs of various Arboretum buildings with descriptive information.
Reverse side provides general information about the Arboretum, trails for walking and hiking, driving through the Arboretum, areas and collections of special interest, native plant communities, wildlife at the Arboretum, regulations, facilities and services, and information on membership. A section of the map is enlarged to identify landmarks around the Visitor Center, Administration Building, and Thornhill Education Center.
Extent: 1 sheet
The Morton Arboretum Quarterly V. 01 No. 02 (3.34463)
Date: June 21 – September 20 1965Type: Serial
Description:
- Meeting the Shade Problem: Selective Plant Material Suitable for Growing in Shade (1-6)
- The Art of Jens Jensen, Landscape Architect (7)
- Ostrya virginiana (Mill.) K. Koch. Ironwood, American Hornbeam: (Betulaceae) Birch Family (8-9)
- The Control of Some Summer Insect Pests (10-11)
- The May T. Watts Reading Garden (12-14)
- Arboretum News and Notes/ Climatological Summary (14-16)
Extent: 16 pages
The Morton Arboretum Quarterly V. 10 No. 02 (3.34468)
Date: June 21 – September 20 1974Type: Serial
Description:
- Living Footnotes in a Garden (17-26)
- Research Notes/ Climatological Summary (27-29)
- Bur Oak, Quercus macrocarpa: Beech Family (Fagaceae) (30-31)
- The Unexpected Drop-In (32)
(links to these articles can be found below under RELATED OBJECTS)
Extent: 16 pages
The May T. Watts Reading Garden (3.35365)
Type: Photographic image
Description:A close-up of the sign for The May T. Watts Reading Garden, located at The Morton Arboretum's Sterling Morton Library.
Extent: 1 photograph
Ginkgo biloba (ginkgo), espalier with fall color (3.36551)
Date: November 5 1983Creator: Kohout, Kitty
Type: Photographic image
Description:Ginkgo biloba (ginkgo) espalier growing up against the wall of the Sterling Morton Library in the May T. Watts Readng Garden in fall
Living Collections Accession Number: 697-63*1
Location on grounds using The Morton Arboretum grid map: J-42/96-19 (May T. Watts Reading Garden)
Extent: 1 slide
Ginkgo biloba (ginkgo), espalier with fall color (3.36556)
Date: November 1983Creator: Kohout, Kitty
Type: Photographic image
Description:Ginkgo biloba (ginkgo), espalier growing up against the wall of the Sterling Morton Library in the May T. Watts Readng Garden in fall
Living Collections Accession Number: 697-63*1
Location on grounds using The Morton Arboretum grid map: J-42/96-19 (May T. Watts Reading Garden)
Extent: 1 slide
Ginkgo biloba (ginkgo), espalier with fall color (3.36560)
Date: October 1998Creator: Bachtell, Kris
Type: Photographic image
Description:Ginkgo biloba (ginkgo), espalier growing up against the wall of the Sterling Morton Library in the May T. Watts Readng Garden in fall
Living Collections Accession Number: 697-63*1
Location on grounds using The Morton Arboretum grid map: J-42/96-19 (May T. Watts Reading Garden)
Extent: 1 slide
Ginkgo biloba (ginkgo), espalier with fall color (3.36833)
Date: October 1998Creator: Bachtell, Kris
Type: Photographic image
Description:Ginkgo biloba (ginkgo), espalier growing up against the wall of the Sterling Morton Library in the May T. Watts Readng Garden in fall
Living Collections Accession Number: 697-63*1
Location on grounds using The Morton Arboretum grid map: J-42/96-19 (May T. Watts Reading Garden)
Extent: 1 slide
Ginkgo biloba (ginkgo), espalier with fall color (3.37023)
Date: November 1983Creator: Kohout, Kitty
Type: Photographic image
Description:Ginkgo biloba (ginkgo), espalier growing up against the wall of the Sterling Morton Library in the May T. Watts Readng Garden in fall
Living Collections Accession Number: 697-63*1
Location on grounds using The Morton Arboretum grid map: J-42/96-19 (May T. Watts Reading Garden)
Extent: 1 slide
May T. Watts Reading Garden, south side (3.3743)
Date: circa 1963Type: Photographic image
Description:May T. Watts Reading Garden, south side
Extent: 1 photograph
May T. Watts Reading Garden, aerial view looking north (3.3744)
Date: circa 1963Type: Photographic image
Description:May T. Watts Reading Garden, aerial view looking north over pergola
Extent: 1 photograph
May T. Watts Reading Garden, northwest corner (3.3745)
Date: circa 1963Type: Photographic image
Description:May T. Watts Reading Garden, northwest corner showing circular bookcase around hawthorn tree
Extent: 1 photograph
May T. Watts Reading Garden and Sterling Morton Library, northwest view from path outside garden (3.3746)
Date: circa 1963Type: Photographic image
Description:May T. Watts Reading Garden and Sterling Morton Library, northwest view from path outside garden
Extent: 1 photograph
May T. Watts Reading Garden, pergola with clay tiles commemorating botanists along shelf on wall (3.3747)
Date: circa 1968 – 1970Creator: Burgess, Lorraine Marshall
Type: Photographic image
Description:May T. Watts Reading Garden, pergola with clay tiles commemorating botanists along shelf on wall
Extent: 1 photograph
Sterling Morton Library, view into May T. Watts Reading Garden from Reading Room (3.3848)
Date: May 14 2002Creator: Roberson, Trent P.
Type: Photographic image
Description:Sterling Morton Library, view into May T. Watts Reading Garden from Reading Room
Extent: 1 photograph
Green Nature, Human Nature book signing in Sterling Morton Library, Charles Lewis greeting Peter Wang in May T. Watts Reading Garden (3.4167)
Date: May – June 1996Type: Photographic image
Description:Green Nature, Human Nature book signing in Sterling Morton Library, Charles Lewis greeting Peter Wang in May T. Watts Reading Garden
(L to R): Charles Lewis, Bill Hess, Peter Wang
Extent: 1 photograph
Green Nature, Human Nature book signing in Sterling Morton Library, Charles Lewis signing books for guests in May T. Watts Reading Garden (3.4168)
Date: May – June 1996Type: Photographic image
Description:Green Nature, Human Nature book signing in Sterling Morton Library, Charles Lewis signing books for guests in May T. Watts Reading Garden
(L to R): Ann Grimes, Rhonda Snelson, Charles Lewis (seated)
Extent: 1 photograph
Green Nature, Human Nature book signing in Sterling Morton Library, Charles and Sherry Lewis in May T. Watts Reading Garden (3.4169)
Date: May – June 1996Type: Photographic image
Description:Green Nature, Human Nature book signing in Sterling Morton Library, Charles and Sherry Lewis in May T. Watts Reading Garden
Charles Lewis (seated), Sherry Lewis (standing)
Extent: 1 photograph
Green Nature, Human Nature book signing in Sterling Morton Library, Charles and Sherry Lewis in May T. Watts Reading Garden (3.4170)
Date: May – June 1996Type: Photographic image
Description:Green Nature, Human Nature book signing in Sterling Morton Library, Charles and Sherry Lewis in May T. Watts Reading Garden
Charles Lewis (seated), Sherry Lewis (standing)
Extent: 1 photograph
Green Nature, Human Nature book signing in Sterling Morton Library, Charles Lewis seated with two others in May T. Watts Reading Garden (3.4171)
Date: May – June 1996Type: Photographic image
Description:Green Nature, Human Nature book signing in Sterling Morton Library, Charles Lewis seated with two others in May T. Watts Reading Garden
Extent: 1 photograph
Green Nature, Human Nature book signing in Sterling Morton Library, group of guests in conversation in May T. Watts Reading Garden (3.4172)
Date: May – June 1996Type: Photographic image
Description:Green Nature, Human Nature book signing in Sterling Morton Library, group of guests in conversation in May T. Watts Reading Garden
(L to R): Sherry Lewis, Ann Grimes, Nancy Eickhorst, Tony Byrne, Peter Wang
Extent: 1 photograph
Green Nature, Human Nature book signing in Sterling Morton Library, refreshment table in May T. Watts Reading Garden (3.4173)
Date: May – June 1996Type: Photographic image
Description:Green Nature, Human Nature book signing in Sterling Morton Library, refreshment table in May T. Watts Reading Garden
Extent: 1 photograph
Green Nature, Human Nature book signing in Sterling Morton Library, Charles Lewis greeting Tony Byrne in May T. Watts Reading Garden (3.4174)
Date: May – June 1996Type: Photographic image
Description:Green Nature, Human Nature book signing in Sterling Morton Library, Charles Lewis greeting Tony Byrne in May T. Watts Reading Garden
(L to R): Charles Lewis, Tony Byrne
Extent: 1 photograph
Green Nature, Human Nature book signing in Sterling Morton Library, Gerry Donnelly and Michael Stieber standing, Charles Lewis seated (3.4175)
Date: May – June 1996Type: Photographic image
Description:Green Nature, Human Nature book signing in Sterling Morton Library, Gerry Donnelly and Michael Stieber standing, Charles Lewis seated
Extent: 1 photograph