Crane Estate Garden Tour: Historic Landscapes and Movie Magic Part 1~ by Caroline

Crane Estate in Ipswich, MA is one of those destinations that should be on every gardener's bucket list. I took an early June tour of the gardens, the Great House, the grounds, and ended the day with a visit to Crane Beach.

If the place looks familiar, it's not your imagination! If you are a fan of Greta Gerwig's 2019 adaptation of Little Women, some of the European scenes were filmed in the garden. Do you recognize any of these views?

The Olmsted Brothers, known for their work on many iconic American landscapes, were first hired to plan the grounds of the Crane Estate. Later, Arthur Shurcliff—who had trained with them—designed the Italian garden, the Grand Allée, and other features of the estate.

The breathtaking gardens were lush with greenery and early summer blooms such as irises, roses, and peonies. The layout is classic and formal, with neat hedges, fountains, statues, and tucked-away corners with gorgeous views. 

Bibliography

Castle Hill on the Crane Estate – The Trustees of Reservations: https://thetrustees.org/place/castle-hill-on-the-crane-estate/

Castle Hill (Ipswich, Massachusetts) – Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle_Hill_(Ipswich,_Massachusetts)

Crane Estate – U.S. National Park Service: https://www.nps.gov/places/crane-estate.htm

Trustees Sites Featured in Little Women Movie – The Trustees: https://thetrustees.org/press-release/trustees-historic-and-cultural-sites-featured-in-upcoming-little-women-movie-released-christmas-day/

Little Women Filming Locations – Boston.com: https://www.boston.com/culture/entertainment/2019/12/24/little-women-filming-locations-massachusetts/

Conservation in Action: Crane Rose Garden – The Trustees: https://thetrustees.org/arts-culture/conservation-in-action-crane-estate-rose-garden/