Photos by Susan Mertz.
A Romantic Garden In the Garden, SUSAN MERTZ shares the highlights of Magnolia Plantation and Gardens.
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s Hurricane Matthew traveled up the eastern coast from Florida towards Charleston, I thought of our family vacation and the sites we saw in South Carolina. Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, located on the banks of the Ashley River in Charleston, appeared to be in harm’s way. However, this is nothing new for the former planta-
tion. Dating back to 1671, it has survived the American Revolution, Civil War, Great Charleston Earthquake and Hurricane Hugo. First open to the public in 1872, the property today is available for weddings, events, scouting programs, campouts, and school field trips. Tours include telling the story of slavery to emancipation
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and the history of growing rice. At the Audubon swamp garden, visitors can explore thousands of plants and animals. Under the canopy of live oaks draped with Spanish moss, we strolled along the garden paths and historic bridges. Knees of the bald cypress were showing along the banks of the lakes. Alligators floated by enjoying the sunny day. It was easy to feel as if we had escaped from the modern world and had gone back in time. Designed in the romantic garden style, the property has few open areas. Curved paths lead visitors from one garden room to another. Sometimes the paths end with a statue and other times with a bench or a gazebo. The spaces felt intimate, private. Fragrant flowers are a must in a romantic garden. Dating back to the 1800s, the collection of 20,000 camellias has earned Magnolia Plantation and Gardens’ designation as an International Camellia Garden of Excellence. Best grown in southern zones, Camellias have fragrant flowers from late fall through spring. Imagine how beautiful the gardens are in the spring with camellias, bulbs, dogwoods and azaleas in flower! In the 1840s, the first azaleas planted outside in a garden were at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens. During our summer visit, the southern magnolias were beautiful. Cottage garden plantings included zinnias. In sunny spots along the paths, Rose of Sharons helped create the walls of the garden rooms.
Roses, hydrangeas and crape myrtles also added summer color to the gardens. I was thrilled to see a Franklinia in flower and thought about the first one the Bartrams had found growing in nearby Savannah, Georgia on one of their plant expeditions in the 1700s. Flowerdale, the first garden on the property, was planted in the 1680s. It is considered the “oldest, unrestored garden in America.” Surrounded by mature trees, the garden beds of annuals including caladiums and coleus are edged in boxwoods. I was fascinated with the Biblical Garden by the property’s entrance. From the old and new testaments of the bible, plantings include a fig, cinnamon, barley, flax, grapevine, olive and wheat. Beyond the red bridge is the conservatory with a beautiful collection of orchids and tropical plants. As I sit in my kitchen thinking about the bulbs that need planting and garden spaces yet to be created, I feel inspired by the gardens of this year’s travels. There are ideas to be explored and plants to try. I’m in awe of the properties and the gardeners who created them long ago and the ones that maintain them today. And, from a romantic garden created centuries ago, I’m inspired to add a few fragrant flowers to my garden. Perhaps, I could grow a camellia in a sunny window and see what happens. Join garden writer Susan Mertz for tours and photographs of gardens at inthegarden.buzz.