Yew
There are many species and plants within the Taxus genus, commonly known as yews, found around Fairsted. Many of the species of yew found on Fairsted are native to Massachusetts, although some are not. Yews often can take the form of a small tree or a shrub though most of the yews at Fairsted look like large shrubs. They can be found in many locations such as the Hollow, Rock Garden, and South Lawn. Many of these help Olmsted craft his picturesque style of design by creating a stretching effect that helps distort the landscape and confuse those that are visiting Fairsted. They also provide dense areas of greenery that make the Rock Garden and Hollow both feel more secluded. They stay green all year round which means that in addition to providing diversity in the texture of leaves throughout the year, they also provide diversity in the color of the leaves through the fall and winter, as plants start to change colors and lose their leaves. Yews can be seen outside the Rock Garden in many historic photographs taken while the firm was active at Fairsted. These yews that were first planted by Olmsted help provide a sense of wilderness and the green abundance that can be seen during the spring and summer. In many places, they seem to be spilling or gushing out of their beds onto the lawn, providing the feeling that wild nature is slowly creeping onto the property or perhaps exists just off the edge of the property.
