Charles Adam Platt

The first designer from whom the Vanderbilt’s sought professional advice was Charles Adams Platt, landscape architect, architect, artist and author of Italian Gardens. By 1901, when the Vanderbilts engaged him, Platt had designed several houses and gardens, including his own in Cornish, New Hampshire. The Vanderbilts apparently anticipated having Platt do rather extensive landscape alterations as they commissioned a survey of their property in 1901 by Jay L. Burley for Platt. The survey records important tree locations and clearly shows the path to the formal gardens from the south portico of the house. In addition, a pen and ink drawing done for the Vanderbilts illustrates Platt’s approach to re-designing Langdon’s gardens, in particular a garden to the north of the Gardener’s Cottage and Tool House. It does not appear that any of Platt’s designs for the Vanderbilts were implemented, and within a year of beginning work with Platt, the Vanderbilts terminated their working relationship with him and had hired James L. Greenleaf.