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Writer's pictureDeborah Shaw

BAGSC Botanical Art at Descanso Gardens

by Beth Stone


Boddy House Postcard from 1967.

Boddy House Postcard from 1967.


In the 1930’s Descanso’s Boddy House was built for E. Manchester Boddy, founder of Descanso Gardens, as a home for his family. It is situated majestically on a hillside with grand views of the San Gabriel Mountains. This elegant Hollywood Regency style mansion now serves as a museum preserving Descanso Garden history and continues as a location for entertaining in style.

In the Spring of 2015, BAGSC’s “A Passion for Camellias” exhibit was hung along an interior hallway of the Boddy House, leading to and spilling into the kitchen. The space is ideally suited to botanical art as it invites close observation and is sheltered from sunlight, protecting sensitive media. The botanical art style is very compatible with the feel of the mansion.


Boddy House: Photo by Beth Stone © 2013, all rights reserved.

Boddy House: Photo by Beth Stone © 2013, all rights reserved.


Artists Diane Daly, Estelle DeRidder, Clara Josephs, Joan Keesey, Patricia Mark, Mitsuko Schultz, Gilly Shaeffer, Janice Sharp, and Beth Stone contributed the artwork for BAGSC’s “A Passion for Camellias” exhibit which graced the walls of Descanso’s Boddy House for a full year.

On Monday May 9th the BAGSC Camellia artworks were taken down and a new exhibit celebrating roses was hung in their place.


Camellia Exhibit: Photo by Beth Stone © 2015, all rights reserved.

Camellia Exhibit: Photo by Beth Stone © 2015, all rights reserved.


BAGSC artists contributing to the new exhibit “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” are Bonnie Born Ash, Cynthia Jackson, Suzanne Kuushmae, Lee McCaffree, Marilyn Parrino, Gilly Shaeffer, Janice Sharp, Beth Stone and Ellie Tu. Thanks to the variety and quality of the artworks and the professional hanging the exhibit is lovely! “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” made its debute May 10th , timed to be on display for Descanso’s Rose Festival on the weekend of May 14th & 15th. BAGSC volunteers will demonstrate our art form during the Rose Festival.


Rose Hanging in Progress: Photo by Beth Stone © 2016, all rights reserved.

Rose Hanging in Progress: Photo by Beth Stone © 2016, all rights reserved.


The Boddy House is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays and is included with admission to Descanso Gardens.

Many thanks to Descanso Gardens, especially David Brown, Susan Armstrong and Cris Martinez for welcoming BAGSC artworks to the Boddy House. Thanks also to Paul Gellman for his thoughtful, professional hanging of the new exhibit.

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