In praise of the flowerpot

The exhibit features replicas of what Wolff believes is the earliest American-made pot, produced in Norwich, Conn., around 1750; geranium pots produced at the historic Bartram's Garden in Philadelphia; and a fruit-tree container made at Mount Vernon, George Washington's estate.

While terra-cotta pots were the preference for many centuries, in the 19th century potters began experimenting with glazed surfaces and different designs. Patents were issued for pots containing India rubber in 1855, cork in 1856, iron in 1861, asphalt in 1895, and coconut shell in 1901.

At the time, gardeners disagreed on the value of porous versus nonporous containers, a debate that has finally been settled by the realization that some plants thrive in one type while others prefer the other.

Flowerpots began to be increasingly popular about 1850, when plate glass allowed for more windows in houses, and thus for more window boxes, says Tamulevich. The development of the railroad also made it easier to transport potted plants. By the late 19th century, potters who created pots by hand were being replaced by companies that mass produced everything from terra-cotta pots to sewer pipes. Then, in the 1950s plastic began replacing clay.

One of the goals of the exhibit, which runs until Sept. 11, is to discover and pay tribute to geographical differences in pots. It features the world of Eric E. Soderholtz, who, in the early 1900s, researched ancient artifacts including garden containers and then tried to replicate them at his garden in Maine.

Because of the harsh winter climate, Soderholtz experimented with reinforced concrete and colored pigments. He worked with famous landscape designer Beatrix Farrand, and his pots can be found from Rockefeller Gardens in Seal Harbor, Maine, to Dumbarton Oaks in Washington, D.C.

The exhibit also documents more modern designs produced by Lunaform in Sullivan, Maine.

Tamulevich and Wolff plan to have the exhibit travel to various museums and botanical gardens over the next three years, growing as regional variations of flowerpots are collected and displayed.

"My hope is that by moving it from region to region we will ask questions that can then be answered," says Wolff. This will add to the available knowledge on the subject.

The tentative plan is for the exhibit to be on display at the Pottery Center in Seagrove, N.C., in February; moving to the Stonington Historical Society in Stonington, Conn., in June; and to the US Botanical Garden in Washington later next summer.

The exhibit features touches of whimsy. One of the pots is large enough to engulf a child, and one of the more modern designs on display is a container in bright plastic with a light in the lower portion. It functions as both a lamp and flowerpot. In addition, a dairy farmer has contributed a new compost garden pot made from cow manure.

• 'A Place to Take Root' is on exhibit through Sept. 11 at the Ethel H. Blum Gallery, College of the Atlantic, 105 Eden St., Bar Harbor, Maine. For more information, call (207) 288 5015 or see www.coa.edu.

Page: 1 | 2