Helen took great interest in the natural world, whether depicting landscapes nearby and abroad; in the science of botany, taking courses in the subject; managing, reorganizing and enhancing the formal gardens at Hampton with an astonishing array of varieties; participating in gardening clubs, including founding the Amateur Gardeners; or simply observing local plants and flowers. Helen used her great interest and knowledge to manage the flower and vegetable gardens, orchards, and trees at Hampton. As Hampton’s economic stability declined, Helen made changes to the layout and management of the gardens in order to maintain them using less money and labor, while nevertheless maintaining their renowned beauty.
Watercolors on paper: Geraniums, 1869-1872 (HAMP 4405) (left) Watercolor on paper: Bouquet with Roses and Blue Asters, 1871 (HAMP 4406) (right)
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Even as a schoolgirl in her late teens, Helen manifested a great interest in flowers and close observation of nature. She painted these lovely works during her time at in Switzerland before she returned to Maryland in 1872.
Pencil on paper, 1870 (HAMP 4479) (left) Watercolor on paper, 1880-1890 (HAMP 4442) (right)
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The pencil sketch is one of several views of forests and trees Helen drew from nature while studying in Europe. Later in Maryland, she painted an evocative wild landscape to accompany an elegiac verse about times past.
Book, Check List of Plants for the Vicinity of Baltimore, 1888 (HAMP 2469)
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Basil Ford Soller’s book, Check List of Plants for the Vicinity of Baltimore, was read by Helen Ridgely and used in her studies of Botany. In the margins, she made annotations of the plants and flowers she observed on the grounds of Hampton and the places she visited. In addition to noting locations and dates of blooming, she occasionally even corrected the Latin names in the publication.
Notebook, 1889 (HAMP 20820)
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In this notebook, Helen Ridgely recorded notes on her studies of botany, recording information about plants and flowers she observed in nature or learned about in Soller’s book on Baltimore area plants. Helen’s dedicated time to developing her knowledge of botany by reading, writing, and attending lectures on the subject. It is unclear if Helen took courses on the subject, or if she was self-taught. It is unlikely she was admitted to a college level course in the area due to the fact that she was a woman. The notebook includes drawings and pressed specimens. The right hand page describes Saxifraga Virginiensis (Virginia saxifrage), a white, five-petaled wildflower usually found growing on rocks or logs.
Certificate, 1925 (HAMP 21128)
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Helen was inducted into the prestigious Maryland Academy of Sciences in recognition of her interests in botany and horticulture.
Photograph of Hampton gardens, c. 1900 (HAMP 20465) (left) Photograph of Hampton gardents, c. 2019
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Helen often described in her diaries the profusion of flowering plants in Hampton’s gardens, such as this passage from May 1909: “…Walked through garden & found besides tree peonies, lilies of the valley, snowball shrubs (callicanthus?) [sic, Calycanthus] & Stars of Bethlehem (anithogalum) [sic, Ornithogalum] that my one plant of bleeding heart & my perennial columbine were in bloom & from the terrace I could see a few brilliant oriental poppies through the foliage of the hardy orange bush. Upon nearer approach found six full blooms & any number in bud. They will be a gorgeous sight when the ones in front of the orange trees open their buds. The Dentzia in border on lower terrace is also in bloom…
”Helen became her most poetic in July 1906 when describing Parterre 2, with its Victorian carpet bedding first introduced by Eliza Ridgely in the 1850s:
“From the rustic benches, overlooking the terraced garden, the scene before me is a joy forever. The coleus beds to the right are particularly beautiful this year. They form a Persian carpet of immense dimensions that catches the slanting rays of the afternoon sun & invites one to prayer & praise. No prayer rug of eastern workmanship could arouse a kindred sentiment of worship, in a human heart as devoted to nature – or to nature improved, as I am. My garden is a human paradise…”
Plant list and receipt, 1910 (HAMP 14652)
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In 1910, Helen ordered an extensive list of flowers from Thomas Meehan & Sons nursery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her notes show her concern for flowers coming into bloom throughout the growing season.
Bulb planter, c.1880-1940 (HAMP 16398)
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Helen was not afraid of hard work and could sometimes be found laboring in the gardens and raking the lawns at Hampton. Using her studies of botany, she made decisions about planting and gardening. She arranged plants in consideration of growth, flowering season, and color to maintain the high standards expected of an estate of Hampton’s status, while also coping with dwindling funds and decreased work force by rearranging blooming plants to enhance efficient maintenance.
Garden plans for Hampton, c.1912 (HAMP 14652)
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Helen sketched out plans for planting the gardens at Hampton, making changes in order to save time and money as well as for patterns of color and time of blooming. She re-worked the design of the formal gardens, a time-saving change that enabled the grass walks to be mowed using horse-drawn mowers instead of by hand and returning the lower parterres to grass, instead of keeping them in labor-intensive plantings. These changes, along with other cost cutting measures, made it possible to reduce the amount of maintenance needed to keep Hampton’s grounds up to standard.
In 1913, Helen was one of the founders of the Amateur Gardeners Club, a ladies’ garden club which is still active today. She served as the club’s first Vice President and often hosted meetings at her home. Helen was also involved with the Garden Club of America, a national organization to which local clubs were connected, also organized in 1913.
