Common Quince
Common quince, or Cydonia oblonga, is a tree or shrub that produces a fruit that is often bitter or sandy, especially in areas that do not get much sun. This fruit known as a quince is considered as one of the oldest fruits in the world. These plants are not native to New England, however, they are not considered to be an invasive species in the area. At Fairsted there are multiple common quince plants. There are four shrubs grouped together near the front entrance that act as a buffer between the road on the other side of the spruce pole fence behind them and the rest of the property. There is also a tree that is growing in a bed next to the spruce pole fence that helps demarcate the barrier between the parking area and the service area. The fact that these trees and shrubs are found in these areas indicates that they are primarily used as a barrier between different aspects of the landscape. They grow to be about fifteen feet tall, allowing them to create an additional barrier beyond what the fence provides, but will not become too large for the spaces they are located in. Olmsted would have wanted a diversity of plants, which means that having multiple, differing species in the landscape was important. Quinces are not a prolific species on the Fairsted landscape, but they do help fulfill the mission of having a diversity of plants. In addition, there is evidence that quinces existed on the property before Olmsted moved to Fairsted in 1883. Before the property became Olmsted’s, it was an orchard and contained many different types of fruit trees. In a map that was created during an 1883 survey, there is a designation and a drawing of a quince plant on the landscape, so they could have possibly been kept as an homage to the history of the property being an orchard.
