The E.O. Wattis house landscape is a great example of preservation of an Arts & Crafts landscape. The project included envisioning a period appropriate landscape; incorporating historic research, landscape inventory and assessment; practicing historic preservation and rehabilitation; and re-creating a prairie school garden.
Prominent local architect Eber Piers designed the Wattis House, constructed in 1914. Edmund O. Wattis, founding member of Utah Construction Company and distinguished Ogden community member, lived in this home.
However, by 2006, the property had fallen into disrepair. Fortunately, Edmund’s grandchildren purchased the home with the goal of restoring the house and property to its original grandeur. They hired Io LandArch to design a period appropriate landscape. Below, we have documented our process for this project, as a step-by-step guide to the preservation and/or re-creation of a prairie style landscape.
Step 1 – Site Inventory/Research
As a critical first phase of every historic landscape project, the research phase helps you uncover information both about original physical appearance and about the social and environmental conditions that surrounded its original inception through construction. This may also give you some insight into the personalities of the original owner and or designer, all of which will be helpful in re-interpreting the clues to the original design or at least a contextually appropriate re-creation.
In this phase, our research took many forms, including on-site archeology, reviewing photographs, texts, and oral accounts, thorough site inventory, and more traditional historic research. We learned many key facts about the site, including the presence of an original standard apple tree, hints on the original locations of two limestone fountains on site, and local and global precedents for Prairie School landscape design and the broader Arts & Crafts movement.
Historic photograph of the E. O. Wattis House
Step 2 – Determine Historic Significance
Once you have completed a thorough inventory of the existing site it is critical to process the information that you have collected as part of the planning process.
Based on our research about the Wattis House, we determined that this project would focus on the reconstruction of a period appropriate landscape as it might have looked in 1914, including the preservation of intact historical fabric, while removing inappropriate additions that were made following the period of significance. The original limestone fountain was to be maintained in its original location. The existing sandstone retaining wall and brick portion of the original garage were also to be maintained as integrated portions of the new landscape. Original tree plantings, including the full-sized standard apple tree, the large sycamores in the park strip, and the large maple and ash shade trees were also priorities for preservation.
This historic fountain, found on site, was incorporated into the landscape design.
Step 3 – Design Planning
Based on the analysis and priorities set forth in Step 2, the design team can move forward with a space plan incorporating the preservation priorities, while also planning for the use and appearance of the landscape desired by the client.
In the case of the Wattis house, this meant creating an overall master plan, identifying use areas based on the priorities identified. We determined that the new landscape design would need to incorporate the existing elements and to provide a period appropriate setting for the existing historic resources that were being preserved, including the house itself. With this in mind, in keeping with historic data, we determined that the front yard of the home should enhance views of the architecture from the street, be consistent with the rest of the neighborhood, and draw attention to the home’s entry, while visually downplaying the garage addition.
The new landscape design incorporates the existing elements and provides a period appropriate setting for the existing historic resources that were being preserved, including the house itself.
Step 4 – Landscape Structure
Proper hardscape planning and design are the building blocks for any successful landscape. Paths, patios, walls, fences, and other hardscape features will work to define, separate, and connect the spaces in the landscape with the house, and must be carefully planned for. These areas will also help define softscape and planting bed areas.
In the design planning phase, we learned that the owners of the Wattis House desired a space for outdoor living. As previously discussed, a predominant philosophy behind the creation of most Prairie School Landscapes is the total integration of house and site. In keeping with the period precedents, we designed a stone patio and pergola to define the area just to the east of the house as separate and distinct from the surrounding landscape.
In keeping with the period precedents, we designed a stone patio and pergola to define the area just to the east of the house as separate and distinct from the surrounding landscape.
Step 5- Plantings
Once you have planned and structured the spaces in the landscape using appropriate hardscape treatments, plantings add an additional layer of visual interest, intimacy of space, and design statement. Large masses of plantings can define outdoor space by mimicking walls and overhead planes, providing screening, and extending the architectural lines of the house.
The plantings in the Wattis Garden focused on three main themes:
- the use of horizontal plantings to extend the planes of the house into the landscape; the addition of mixed border
- plantings provide year-round visual interest, especially adjacent to outdoor living spaces
- and finally in the spirit of Prairie regionalism, the adaptive use of native plants gives a strong sense of place in a naturalistic setting.
The plantings were carefully selected to reflect the three main themes above.
This post is adapted from a longer article written by Shalae Larsen, and edited by Susan Crook.
