A Brief History
Charles K. Savage, a life-long resident of Northeast Harbor and the owner of the Asticou Inn, created the Asticou Azalea Garden in 1956. He was inspired by his love of native plants, his study of Japanese garden design, and his desire to preserve the plant collection of Beatrix Ferrand,renowned American landscape designer and pioneer for women in that profession. When Mrs. Ferrand dismantled heer Reef Point estate in Bar Harbor, Mr. Savage garnered financial support from John D. Rockefeller, Jr. To purchase the plants and build the Asticou Azalea Garden in Northeast Harbor.
The Azalea Garden is styled after a Japanese stroll garden with many traditional Japanese design features adapted for the natural setting and vegetation of coastal Maine. A meandering path leads visitors through a succession of garden rooms that inspire serenity and reflection or bring to focus a particularly lovely vista.
The garden’s design creates an illusion of space, the lakes and mountains and distant horizons. The “sand garden” along the eastern edge of the stream uses rocks and raked sand to suggest islands and flowing water. The placement of the sand garden next to the stream enhances the beauty and character of each.
Mr. Savage’s sensitive use of natural nevetation, stones, and water in combination with azaleas, rhododendrons,m and other specimen plants from Reef Point achieves a lovely balance of natural and man-made beauty. The result is a wonderful blend of East and West.
Once again thank you for sharing my journey. I sincerely hope you enjoy my work half as much as I enjoy sharing it.
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