The Living Landscape of North Star House

Step onto the grand front lawn of North Star House, where history is rooted not only in the brick and mine rock terrace designed by Julia Morgan but in the very landscape that surrounds it. This vast, open space stretches before the house, bordered by a dense Washington hawthorn hedge. The hedge serves as both a natural barrier and a secret keeper, hiding the winding North Star Road that curls up from Auburn Road before disappearing behind the house.

A century ago, a metal gate flanked by two mine rock columns opened onto a brick-lined pathway, leading guests to the terrace. Just beyond, an iron horse-hitching post still stands, a quiet relic of an era when visitors arrived on horseback instead of by car.

To the right, a Southern Magnolia, its columnar form reaching toward the sky, was carefully chosen as a striking focal point—an exotic touch against the backdrop of pines and oaks. Nearby, in a sun-drenched corner of the land, Arthur De Wint Foote cultivated an orchard unlike any other. Here, persimmons, quince, pomegranates, hazelnuts, and cherries flourished, many of them hybrids from Felix Gillet’s renowned Nevada City nursery. Some of these very trees still bear fruit today, their roots intertwined with over a century of history.

A Korean-style shed, once standing at the far edge of the orchard, was framed by a lone palm tree—a dramatic flourish amidst the native landscape. Nearby, Bellflower apple trees took root on the lawn’s left side, while a row of Foote’s own hybrid holly trees once served as a protective windbreak along the road. Towering poplars lined the roadside in those early days, but time and the elements have erased them.

On the house’s north side, a landscape both wild and intentional unfolded. A tulip tree, brought from Mary Hallock Foote’s childhood home in the Hudson River Valley, was planted near the house, its golden blooms a nostalgic nod to her East Coast upbringing. Deutzias, azaleas, pyracantha, and peonies wove through the towering ponderosa pines, softening the rugged forest floor. A mysterious climbing rose framed the study window, its delicate tendrils reaching toward the sunlight.

Throughout the grounds, winding footpaths of mine rock and delicate grasses invited exploration. Photographs from the past capture a surprising detail—a rubber plant, its glossy leaves standing out among the native greenery.

At the heart of the courtyard, Julia Morgan’s architectural mastery is on display in the pergola, upheld by two mine rock columns, and a peaceful reflecting pool. In its early years, the pool’s mirror-like surface was framed by a lush lawn, and two stately yew trees stood guard. A pair of ceramic jars, placed carefully by Foote, added an artistic touch.

The pergola’s first rose was an 1853 French climber, Gloire de Dijon, with creamy, double blossoms. It was a sentimental planting—when the Footes’ daughter, Betty, married in 1907, these very roses adorned her wedding. By the 1920s, however, the delicate blooms had succumbed to mildew and were replaced by Banksia lutea, a golden-hued rose that soon overtook the pergola and spread to the upper-story balconies, creating a cascade of color.

Beyond the pergola, a formal rose garden enclosed in a boxwood hedge gradually took shape. By the time Foote retired in 1913, the garden had become his sanctuary. His grandchildren later recalled watching him sit on a high stool, carefully pruning his beloved roses. The garden’s reach extended beyond the hedge, overflowing with Baronne Prevost, American Beauty, Paul’s Scarlet, and Dainty Bess. Today, only a few of these original roses remain, alongside the hardy rootstock varieties, Manetti and Dr. Huey.

Past the roses, a different kind of garden flourished—untamed and abundant. This woodland-style flower garden spilled down a winding path leading to the vegetable patch. Another pathway branched off toward the raspberry and blackberry brambles, now home to the North Star Heritage Garden. Among the berry vines, a family favorite endured—Luther Burbank’s white blackberries, a sweet and thornless variety that still thrives in hidden corners of the property. A row of Foote’s hybrid holly trees once divided the two gardens, and while only one of his originals remains, a few younger hollies, planted by a boarding school after the Footes departed, carry on the tradition.

Across from the rose garden, where the circular driveway curved toward the road, a landscape of grandeur unfolded. Shrubs of crape myrtle, snowball viburnum, camellias, and flowering dogwoods flourished, blending with ornamental trees. A final row of Foote’s hybrid hollies framed the entrance, marked by mine rock pillars and elegant metal gates. The estate’s original small garage, once nestled nearby, was eventually replaced by a larger structure. Though only three mine rock walls remain today, they hint at the past, whispering stories of automobiles arriving for grand events.

The journey through the grounds did not end at the gardens. A meandering path led from the courtyard, through a natural woodland of ponderosa pines, black oaks, and manzanita shrubs, toward the orchard. Under the house’s north-facing windows, delicate ferns found shelter in the cool shade.

Long ago, farm fencing and wooden posts enclosed this entire estate, protecting a world carefully cultivated by Arthur and Mary Hallock Foote. Though time has changed many things, the land still breathes with their vision—a place where history, architecture, and nature exist in timeless harmony.