THE GARDENS
The Gardens Project is about the beauty and history of Charleston, sharing it with all who come to visit, and how we work together as a community to honor our special citizens during and after the time they walked the earth with us.
The Gardens Project honors a man of character, self assurance, humility, and an artisan who shared his artistic vision with everyone who admired a fence or decorative gate of his design. It is for these reasons that on his 80th birthday, June 9, 1992, the City of Charleston proclaimed that day "Philip Simmons Day."
He designed the fence along George and Anson streets, the Single Heart Gate to the walkway from Anson Street and the Double Heart Gate to the entrance of the topiary garden with plants designed by reknown topiary artist, Pearl Fryar.
““You are invited to join in this exciting venture to develop the Philip Simmons Garden. Through your financial support, this warm and strong man will always have a living presence among us.””
THE BELL GARDEN
The ground was broken for the development of the first phase of gardens in 1993 and blessed at the Sunrise Service on Easter Sunday morning in 1994. Simmons brought the bell from his shop that he has owned for over 50 years. The bell, as some of you may recall, was the method of announcing meals; calling the children to school, church services, as well as beginning and ending the work day. In this garden, the bell is being displayed at a place for children to play and invite others to reflect. In Charleston, a bell chimes every hour from some steeple around the city.
"The Seat of Defiance"
THE HEART GARDEN
The Heart Garden, the second phase of the gardens, can be entered from Anson Street or from Menotti Street through the Double Heart Gates designed by Simmons and crafted at his shop by Carlton Simmons (nephew) and Joseph Pringle (cousin).
Pearl Fryar at work.
This garden was a permanent installation of the Nature/Human Exhibit during the 1997 Spoleto Festival USA and materialized with the topiary designs of Pearl Fryar, a self-taught topiary artist in Bishopville, SC. Fryar contributed the centerpiece from his personal garden and also laid the heart-shaped stones in the pathway. The ironwork was contributed by Simmons. Additional funds and plants for this garden were given through matching grants from the neighbors at 12 George Street, garden clubs and from individuals.
While walking through the garden you may enjoy the scents from the plants, watch the birds taking a break with a drink or a quick bath on their way to their destination, or locate your name or those of friends and family in the commemorative bricks along the pathways. Other recognitions of contributors will be placed in the garden as well.
This garden is considered a community-wide effort and is one of the most visited gardens in the city. As well as being a quiet place to reflect and come up with creative ideas, it is also a beautiful place to hold small weddings, receptions and other gatherings.
Philip Simmons photographed by Tom Pich
THE DOCUMENTATION PROJECT
The Documentation Project is a multimedia archive to categorize over 600 pieces of existing ironworks that Mr. Simmons designed, fabricated, or repaired.
Early Documentation
John Michael Vlach wrote the book, “Charleston Blacksmith: The Work of Philip Simmons” in 1981 which documented his major works up to that date. (This book is one of the best sellers for the University of South Carolina Press and is in its ninth printing.) Then in 1995, the Simmons Foundation partnered with the Historic Charleston Foundation to identify the works of Mr. Simmons. Three years were spent collecting initial data with the help of a grant from the South Carolina Humanities Foundation. However in the interim, homes were renovated and as a result, ironworks by Philip Simmons were beginning to disappear from the sites that were originally recorded. As houses were sold, some owners took the piece(s) to their new home and some were donated to the American College of the Building Arts to use for study of Simmons' techniques.
A New Partnership
More and more, magazines and national television shows were requesting information about Mr. Simmons, leading to the discovery of these site changes. With this alarm, it was evident that the documentation that was previously done would need a site check. Mary Edna Fraser, a local artist and fellow collaborator and friend of Mr. Simmons, introduced Sunhead Projects to Rossie Colter, project administrator of the Simmons Foundation, and decided to do an updated documentary. As a result of that meeting, the Foundation and Sunhead Projects joined efforts to produce the most comprehensive archives of Simmons to date.
The Avery Research Center
On April 21, 2007, Avery Research Center at the College of Charleston set up a “Simmons Room” in their building to continue to input the database, display some of Mr. Simmons’ drawings, photographs of his works, his first anvil, his first anvil that was inherited from his mentor, Peter Simmons, who had inherited it from his father, Guy Simmons, who was a slave on a plantation in Mt. Pleasant.
When the Simmons Home became a Museum Home and Workshop in 2010, most items were moved to the home except the Original Anvil from Guy Simmons and a window grill, and example of Mr. Simmons' work. They remain as part of the Simmons Collection at Avery.
Current and Future Activities
The Documentation Project encompasses video, print and on-the-ground, self guided tours. Ultimately the endeavor will involve students, photographers, videographers, historians and many other interested citizens of Charleston. Also, a series fundraising events will be held, the first of which took place on November 28, 2006 at Alterman Studios. Another fundraiser was held in 2009 called "Watch Sparks Fly!" Click here to check out a video of the event.
THE MUSEUM HOUSE
Listed as one of the nations 11 most endangered places by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Philip Simmons' home was opened to the public as a museum in 2010.
30 1/2 Blake Street
843.723.1259
Hours:
11AM - 4PM
EDUCATION
An important part of the Foundation's endeavors includes education and outreach.T here are many different opportunities for learning about and experiencing art that is deep in cultural and artistic heritage. We offer a curriculum for grades 3-12 that can be used to compliment many areas of study, a traveling photographic exhibit of Simmons' work, a catalog of Simmons' work, and a 22-minute DVD about his life and work. These items are all available for purchase at the Simmons Shop. All proceeds above the actual cost of these educational items goes to the development and maintenance of the Philip Simmons Gardens.