Maplelawn Garden Was the Glory of the Neighbour- (Which Became the National Capital Commission in S E V I

A Spectacular Garden Preserving the Capital’s Heritage Almost from the beginning, and well into the 1980s, In the early 1950s, the Federal District Commission Maplelawn Garden was the glory of the neighbour- (which became the National Capital Commission in s e v i h hood. Buses passing by on Richmond Road slowed 1959) acquired Maplelawn in order to preserve this im- c r a a down to allow passengers to look over the wall at portant national historic property. Frances Rochester w a Maplelawn t t o the profusion of flowers, shrubs, vines and trees. continued to reside at the estate until 1989. f o y t A historic garden i c : o in Canada’s Capital t The garden has a four-square plan of flower beds, The garden was receiving only basic maintenance o h p with an oval bed at the centre. Late 19th century until 1993, when a volunteer group known as photographs show that there were once fruit trees, The Friends of the Maplelawn Garden was formed. A historic garden in the Capital shrubs and leafy arbours in the garden, with tender The volunteers entered into an agreement with fruits and vegetables placed at the centre of the the National Capital Commission (NCC) to study, h In the 19th century, there were many fine houses beds, and peonies, oriental poppies and other preserve and rejuvenate the walled garden, making t i m s in Ontario, but few of them were graced with . ornamentals planted around the edges. use of the extensive palette of perennials, such as m Studied, preserved and . e . n walled gardens, and even fewer still have survived. the old peonies for which the garden was once : rejuvenated by volunteers o t o h The walled garden at Maplelawn is not only a rare famous, still thriving within its walls. p example, it is also exceptionally well preserved. One of the few historical documents available to Maplelawn is located at In 1989, Maplelawn was designated a national help with the rehabilitation of the garden is the 529 Richmond Road (at Broadview) in Ottawa historic site by the Historic Sites and Monuments detailed plan prepared by R. Warren Oliver in 1936. (on-street parking nearby). Board of Canada because of “…the quality of the The three beds adjacent to the north, east and south house, but more particularly because its gardens walls are planted to conform with Oliver’s sug - www.maplelawn.ca are the best preserved of the few known surviving gested layout and planting list. Design guidelines examples of early 19th century walled gardens in r provided by the NCC are applied to the remaining Interested in volunteering? e h c i Canada ….” As an ensemble, the house and remaining r beds based on Oliver’s plan, oral histories and Contact the NCC Volunteer Centre . a . p : walled garden provide a clear record of the way o archaeological reports. 613-239-5373 t o h European architectural and landscape ideals were p www.canadascapital.gc.ca/volunteers transplanted to Canada. In 1936, the Rochesters hired R. Warren Oliver, Access to the site is free. Contributions to assist Located on Richmond Road (which opened in 1818) a horticulturist at the Central Experimental Farm, The Friends of the Maplelawn Garden are welcome. in Ottawa, Maplelawn was established in 1831 by to renew the garden. The fruit and vegetable gardens William Thomson, a Scottish immigrant. Maplelawn were turned to lawn, but the general plan of the was successively owned by three families: the garden, with its ornamental borders, was retained. Thomsons, the Coles and the Rochesters (related by marriage to the Coles). All were leading families The walled garden is a rectangular space of about in the community who participated in its political, one acre (4,047 m 2), enclosed on three sides by h agricultural and business life. The three families rough-dressed limestone walls. Within the garden, t r i e m h s c . i r also had a special interest in the garden, and the classical symmetry of layout, as well as the m . e a . n p : : expended considerable effort to keep it well spacing, colour orchestration and varieties of plants, o o 7 t t 3 o o 0 - h h 0 p p 529 Richmond Road, Ottawa cultivated and in luxuriant flower. provide beauty, fragrance, repose and seclusion. Richmond 1.

Load more