More often than not, it seems as though most of us become oblivious to our surroundings and that which is familiar. Certainly, I know that I am guilty of this habit. Distance is usually a good catalyst, and when I return home to Houston I see things with a fresh eye. I am once again inspired by the gardens at Bayou Bend. A peaceful fourteen-acre oasis in the midst of a modern metropolis.
Bayou Bend was designed as a private residence for the legendary Texas collector and philanthropist, with the most unfortunate name, Miss Ima Hogg. Designed by prominent architect John F. Staub, the house is a combination of eighteenth-century Georgian architecture with elements that are distinctly Southern and Spanish Creole. Bayou Bend is one of the many elegant, but unpretentious, Houston homes built between the 1920s and the early 1960s.
A garden enthusiast, Miss Hogg studied architecture, landscape architecture and garden design. Reminiscent of large public gardens and parks, she adapted her personal gardens to a domestic scale and the Houston Gulf Coast climate. The heavily wooded grounds along Buffalo Bayou include eight formal gardens.
The gardens are noted for rare Duchess De Caze Pink Camellias that are no longer available in nurseries, along with many varieties of Azalea, Gardenias and Antique Roses.
In 1957 Miss Hogg donated her home and her collection to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Bayou Bend opened to the public in 1966, while Miss Hogg continued to collect for her beloved Bayou Bend until her death in 1975 at the age of 93.
The collection at Bayou Bend consists of 4,700 objects that reflect historic and stylistic periods from 1620 to 1870. Miss Hogg's impressive collection is installed in 28 period rooms showcasing American decorative arts from 1620 through 1870.
