Dutchess County Historical Society Yearbook Vol 053 1968

she created a charming water terrace outdoor liivng room within the foundation of the porch.

The same year Mrs. Thorne sent to Japan for the lovely pagoda which adorns the eastern end of Thorndale gardens. The roof of the pagoda symbolizes steps to Heaven, making a seat within view of it, a perfect place for quiet meditation.

In 1934, Mrs. Thorne engaged Mrs. Nellie B. Allen, the landscape architect, to design a new garden in preparation for the annual meeting of the Garden Club of America which was held at Millbrook and West Point in 1936. The garden was noted for being completely green and white and of a formal type. The white flowers were tulips and gas plants. The yews were mostly of a Japanese variety.

The Tribute Garden at Millbrook, New York, was an original idea of Mrs. Thorne's. After consulting the several landscape architects and gardeners who could not visualize what Mrs. Thorne had in mind, she decided to carry out her own idea. Her dream, which happily came true, was to create a garden park as a memorial to the soldiers and sailors of the Town of Washington who served in the armed forces of World War I. Mr. Thorne was equally enthusiastic about the garden park and, about 1919, he set aside five acres of their land for this purpose, they named it Tribute Garden.

In this beautiful garden there is a plaza planted with maples, each tree having been set out by a veteran or member of a veteran's family.

The center of the plaza is a well equipped playground for children, the trees providing cool shade on hot summer days. At the far end is a wading pool.

The garden is beautified with plant material native to Dutchess County. Herbert Durand, who was a recognized authority in that field worked with Mrs. Thorne in selecting the material.

After World War II, Mr. and Mrs. Thorne took over the old railroad station property at Millbrook and turned that into a village green as a memorial to veterans of the Town of Washington serving in the conflict. The green with the Tribute Garden makes a charming entrance to the village of Millbrook.

Mrs. Thorne's achievements in landscape gardening and her extensive studies of plant life won her the admiration of the horticultural world. One of the founders of the Garden Club of America, she was made honorary president for life. She would have been made president of the club if she had resided in New York during the winter.

Mrs. Thorne instigated the Visiting Garden's Committee of the Garden Club of America and served as chairman for many years. The first book compiled by the committee was large and cumbersome. Then a loose-leaf binder was started which was compact and handy to carry when traveling in America and abroad.

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