"Clio,
Muse of History, represents the Past. the Goddess of the Hunt,
represents Endeavor, Action, therefore, the Present. Euterpe,
Muse of Poetry and Music, both of which give eternal delight,
represents eternity, therefore, the Future."
Miss Hogg
adorned Bayou Bend with three graceful female sculptures that
represent some of her lifelong passions. Acquired in Italy in
the 1930's, the marble statues of Clio, Diana, and Euterpe preside
over another of Miss Hogg's abiding interests, her glorious gardens.
In 1927, when Miss Hogg began planning Bayou Bend's gardens, the
lot was still a dense thicket and construction on the house had
yet to begin. With boundless energy, patience, and creativity,
she developed an exquisite series of formal gardens set against
the wild grandeur of the bayou woodlands. Although she worked
with professional landscape architects, Miss Hogg's own sense
of design and color prevailed. The gardens still reflect her favorite
colors of pink, lilac, and blue. Miss Hogg created most of Bayou
Bend's gardens between 1934 and 1942. Undaunted by Houston's sweltering
climate and alkaline soil, she searched the country for plants
that would thrive at Bayou Bend. Although the formal and woodland
gardens contain a myriad of native and imported plants, it is
the azaleas and camellias that dominate. Miss Hogg is often credited
with popularizing these plants, which soon become staples in Houston
gardens. In 1961, Miss Hogg invited the River Oaks Garden Club
to assume permanent management of the gardens. Through the club's
generosity and expertise, the beautiful gardens at Bayou Bend
remain the living embodiment of Miss Hogg's magnificent legacy.
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