In this month’s issue (May ‘08) of Garden Design magazine, the newly restored Frank Lloyd Wright Darwin’s Martin House’s Conservatory gets its due. Written by Amy Stewart of Garden Rant and Dirt fame, the article, according to Amy’s research in to the letters written between Wright & Martin, highlights how pissed Martin was at Wright (my interpretation).

Martin was hoodwinked by Wright...
Martin had engaged Wright to design & build a greenhouse to provide plants for the house & property. Instead, Wright designed & built a spectacular conservatory that did not serve the purpose of producing plants for house & garden. It was a showpiece on its own complete with a sculpture of Nike of Samothrace. I posted, back in January, a description of the conservatory here. You’ll have to refer Amy’s article to read the harsh, but unfailingly polite, interchange between the two (egos). The archive of letters between the two are significant and helped tremendously in the restoration of the house.

Martin, a wealthy executive, was miffed, and had someone else build a greenhouse on the property. The house and grounds are now being restored and the greenhouse, since it was not designed by Wright, is not being recreated.

And we’re all better for it...
I’ve walked through it. In defense of Martin, it ain’t no greenhouse for the production of annuals – it’s a mini-cathedral to plants. It’s one of the single most beautiful interior spaces with plants you can imagine. Now that the building is open to the public, we’re all better off for it. If you can make it here for Garden Walk Buffalo, it should be on your list of places you MUST visit.