A Visit to Rosedown Gardens

Feburary 25, 2017

While I was living in Louisiana, a friend wanted to go to to St. Francisville to visit some of the plantations open to the public.  I spent an enjoyable few hours in the huge gardens and then returned later to tour the house. 

Rosedown is distinguished for its eighteen acre pleasure garden which was started by Martha Turnbull in 1836.  She has one of the oldest Camilla collections. as well as crepe myrtles and azaleas. She maintained a diary from 1836 until 1865 which has been transcribed and printed. It describes plantation life and gardening and is available at Amazon. 

Camellias had almost finished blooming and the azaleas were getting close to finishing, The trees had mostly started leafing out with bright, new leaves. I enjoyed walking the wooded trails, looking at the house and out buildings, and enjoying lovely points of interest along the trails through the shrubbery and trees. 

Lavender azeleas

Red azaleas

Pink azaleas

Bright new leaves gleamed against the sky

Lady Banksia Rose

View down a trail

The trees were beautiful overhead

Statues were scattered along the trails

Azalea portrait

I loved the play of light and shadow on the trails

Glowing Spanish moss

Bridal Wreath Spirea

There is a 660 foot allee to the house, that ends with a front yard full of short shrubbery

There were flower gardens to the side of the house - most were not in bloom but one was full of columbine

A woman warrior 

A redbud tree 

The center of the garden had this long axis with several fountains

I found a couple of lingering camellia blooms

A gazebo?

I loved the old wagon against the azaleas

A farm wagon with a cotton bale in it -cotton was one of the cash crops raised here

The house was even more fabulous.  It was completely restored not long before the state bought it. To be continued.