Rose Greely facts for kids

Rose Ishbel Greely (1887–1969) was an important American landscape architect. She was the very first woman to become a licensed architect in Washington, D.C..

Rose Greely's Early Life and Learning

Rose Isabel Greely was born in Washington, D.C. in 1887. Her father was Adolphus Greely, a famous explorer of the Arctic.

Rose studied many different types of art. She went to the Maryland Agricultural College. She also studied interior design at the Art Institute of Chicago. In Washington, she learned about metal work.

Later, she traveled to Florence, Italy. There, she learned special metal crafts like silver repoussé. But then she decided she wanted to study landscape architecture. This is about designing outdoor spaces.

She came back to the United States. She studied at Smith College and the Cambridge School of Domestic and Landscape Architecture for Women. She graduated around 1919 or 1920. After finishing school, she worked for a famous landscape architect named Fletcher Steele.

Rose Greely's Career and Designs

In 1925, Rose Greely started her own company. This was a big deal! She became the first woman to get an architect's license in Washington, D.C. This time was very busy for landscape architects. Many wealthy people wanted large gardens and buildings for their country homes.

Her company was in downtown Washington. She had a secretary, an assistant, and two drafters. They worked mostly in Virginia, Washington, and Maryland. Over 40 years, Rose designed more than 500 landscapes. She was great at designing homes and their outdoor areas. She believed buildings and their surroundings should fit together perfectly.

Rose also wrote for House Beautiful magazine. In 1932, she wrote a series called "Why Should the Garden Have Design?" In these articles, she shared her ideas about design. She believed that plants should match the style of the house. She also thought the landscape should highlight the best parts of a building.

For small city gardens, Rose designed cozy, enclosed spaces. These spaces connected well with the inside of the house. For large country estates, she created a series of "rooms" outdoors. This made the big landscape feel like a park. For suburban homes, she often designed special entrances and smaller outdoor "rooms" for different activities.

When working with clients, she always listened to their wishes first. Then she considered the house, and finally, the existing land. She worked for many important people and groups. These included Senator Henry Cabot Lodge and Jefferson Patterson.

One of her biggest projects was for the Army in 1934. It was at Aberdeen Proving Grounds. She designed roads, hills, and plantings to go with new buildings. In 1936, she became a special member of the American Society of Landscape Architects. She was the only woman on the team helping with the Colonial Williamsburg restoration project.

In the 1940s and 1950s, she designed many different types of places. These included military sites, schools, and government housing. She also designed outdoor theaters, playgrounds, and gardens. Her work spread across the United States and even into Mexico.

Rose Greely retired in 1956 because of arthritis. But she still gave advice on projects until the early 1960s. She passed away on May 23, 1969, at her home in Georgetown.

Notable Works by Rose Greely

Here are some of the important places Rose Greely designed:

• Aberdeen Proving Grounds landscape, 1934-35
• Army & Navy Country Club Grounds, Arlington, 1941
• Brazilian Embassy landscape, 1929-31
• Friends Meeting House, Washington, D.C., 1930
• Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm, Albuquerque, NM, 1932
• Mr. and Mrs. William H. Taylor House, Washington, D.C., 1936-37
• Mr. and Mrs. Morris Cafritz House, Washington, D.C., 1937-38

Rose Greely's Writings

Rose Greely also wrote many articles about landscape design:

• "Planting Around the City House", House Beautiful, 1922
• "An Architect's Garden in the City." House Beautiful, November 1926
• "Designing the Garden in Harmony with the House," House Beautiful, 1932
• "Balance and Rhythm of Landscape Design," House Beautiful, 1932
• "A Child's own Garden." House Beautiful, 1932

Images for kids

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  Garden view of the Henry Foxhall House, Washington, DC 1999

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  View from the Southeast of the Henry Foxhall House, Washington, DC 1942

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  Garden view of the Henry Foxhall House, Washington, DC 1999

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  Garden view, looking cherub statue in the bowling alley of the Henry Foxhall House, Washington, DC 1999

See also

In Spanish: Rose Greely para niños