The Fountain Pond at Marin Art and Garden Center has seen many celebrations through the years. It’s a popular spot for wedding ceremonies, a festive gathering spot at receptions, as well as a peaceful place to sit and just be, on any day.
The location of the pond is the site of the main house when these acres were the estate of the Worn, then Kittle families, whose home “Sunnyside” burned down in the early 20th century. In 1960, a small pond with a quatrefoil design was installed, with a Florentine fountain that had been donated to the Center. The Octagon House, now the Moya Library and home to the Ross Historical Society, was moved to its current location in 1969, and the larger reflecting pool designed by Richard Hein was constructed in 1976.
Over the past several months, our garden team has been working on clearing away some of the more overgrown beds around the pond. In particular, an unruly juniper bush was removed; juniper, with its high concentration of resins, is regarded as a “fire hazardous plant” that ignites easily and burns intensely, and we are replacing these types of plants throughout the grounds to reduce fire danger.
You may also notice that the water is a deeper, darker color these days; this is due to an environmentally safe coloring agent that makes the water more reflective, which helps reduce evaporation. Every drop counts in these dry times. The spray head for the fountain has also been replaced, thanks to a generous donation, and in addition to looking more elegant, the new finer spray allowed us to add water lilies to the pool. Not only will these plants add even more color, they too help shade the water and keep evaporation down.
So next time you pay us a visit, take a moment to enjoy this special spot.
