Episode 110: Ellen Biddle Shipman
Our Story begins November 5, 1869, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, when Ellen Biddle was born. She spent some time with her grandmother - who she attributes to her love for gardening. Ellen would attend the Shipley School in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, where she received a well-rounded education that included art and horticulture. Later, she would attend the Harvard Annex, before it became Radcliffe College. All of this contributed to her learning about art, architecture, and horticulture. While at Harvard, Ellen met and married Louis Shipman, a playwright who was attending Harvard. Ellen and Louis would live in the Cornish Art Colony in New Hampshire - this colony consisted of sculptors like Augustus Saint-Gaudens, the Artist Thomas Dewing, illustrator Maxfield Parrish, and the architect Charles Platt. in 1910 at the age of 41 Ellen divorced her husband. Architect and Landscape Architect Charles Platt had seen Ellen’s design talent when they both lived in the Cornish Colony, so Charles turned to Ellen for help and began their work partnership. At first, Charles became like a mentor to Ellen in a way, his staff taught her how to draft and about construction. But Ellen knew about plants and had a keen sense of design. So it might have been a mentor/mentee relationship for a brief period but it became more of a collaboration. Together Ellen and Charles would work on gardens all over the country - from Seattle to Cleveland, to her hometown of Philadelphia. A notable project they collaborated on was the William Gibbons Residence in Princeton, New Jersey. Her collaboration with Charles was great because it became her stepping stone to launch her firm in 1920. She would move to New York City and start one of the only women-led landscape architecture firms in the country. Ellen established one of the few women-only firms in the country. Ellen was known for hiring mostly women from the Lowthorpe School of Landscape Architecture. In 1938, Ellen would be called the “Dean of Landscape Architecture” by House and Garden magazine. Ellen lectured and in 1947 she would close her New York Office. Ellen would officially retire to her house in Bermuda, which she designed. On March 27th, 1950, Ellen passed away at 80 years old.
Caryatid: Elizabeth Kennedy
Elizabeth is a registered Landscape Architect, Principal, and Founder of EKLA PPLC, a firm based in New York. She is considered to be an expert in green infrastructure, landscape restoration, resilience design, and cultural site development and management. Some of her work includes writing specifications for the protection of restoration of heritage trees and living landmarks. These specifications are included in the National Register of His
References
Doelle, Katie, and Katie Doelle. “Historical Architecture of Grosse Pointe – Ellen Biddle Shipman.” Katie Doelle | Professional Writer, 4 Aug. 2023, katiedoelle.com/historical-architecture-of-grosse-pointe-ellen-biddle-shipman.
Duke Centennial. “Ellen Biddle Shipman - Duke Centennial.” Duke Centennial, 28 Mar. 2024, 100.duke.edu/story/ellen-biddle-shipman.
“Ellen Biddle Shipman; the Beginnings of a Legacy - Metroparks Toledo.” Metroparks Toledo, 25 Sept. 2020, metroparkstoledo.com/discover/blog/posts/ellen-biddle-shipman-the-beginnings-of-a-legacy.
Ellen Shipman | TCLF. www.tclf.org/pioneer/ellen-shipman.
Lewis, Anna M. “Ellen Biddle Shipman” Women of Steel and Stone: 22 Inspirational Architects, Engineers, and Landscape Designers. United States: Chicago Review Press, 2017.
Library of American Landscape History. “Ellen Shipman Gardens, Restored – Library of American Landscape History | LALH.” Library of American Landscape History | LALH, 15 June 2021, lalh.org/place-studies/ellen-shipman-gardens-restored-2018.
Licata, Elizabeth. “Ellen Biddle Shipman, Restored - GardenRant.” GardenRant, 29 Oct. 2021, gardenrant.com/2021/05/ellen-biddle-shipman-restored.html.
Manager, Lord &. Schryver Curator/Garden. “Ellen Biddle Shipman – Lord and Schryver Conservancy Blog.” Lord & Schryver Conservancy Blog, gaietyhollow.com/tag/ellen-biddle-shipman.
Osgf. “Oak Spring Garden Foundation - Ellen Biddle Shipman: A Style All Her Own.” Oak Spring Garden Foundation, 12 Jan. 2024, www.osgf.org/blog/2023/11/5/ellen-biddle-shipman-a-style-all-her-own.
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