Rosedown Plantation Gardens: The Evolution of a Southern Masterpiece Mary Parke umru/1

The early 11inctecnth-ccnt11ry Rosedown Planrn Lion Gar­ sance and Baroque style gardens. aud English landscape gar­ dens in St.. Francisville, Louisiana arc a unique example of the dens inspired Martha to panern her gardens after those she had southern garden Lradition. Through an exploration of the his­ seeu.3 Staluary and garden 0111amenLoaks" in the early and the subscqucm restoration of the gardens. Rosedown's 1830s. before building began on the main house. Long av­ uniqueness comes 10 light. To date, there have been few stud­ enues of tree."i lining paths to a main strncture could be seen in ies centering on gardens in the southern United States and no 18th century Euglish and French gardens. Most of these Euro­ s1udic.~ or Roscdown Gardens i ncorpornting excensive primary pean "avenues," however, consisted of tall hedges or trees which documentation, both from the time ofthe gardens' crca1ion and grew strongly vertical, rather lhan 1he draping and in1erlacing restoration. TI1e primary documcntaLion, to which I was granted of live oaks.5 Tilis type of oak avenue had not been prevalent access, consisL~ or family papers, journals. shipping invoices in Louisiana a1 this time, but older roadways had "canopy'' cov­ from honicuhural companies. and reports on the rest.oration. erage, thctcfore the effect could be predicted even though TI1is documentation fonns an almost complete record of the Martha never lived to e1tjoy her own avenue. history of Rosedown Gardens and provides evidence for its Marlha. an avid amateur horticulturist, kept a journal not­ recognition as a major influence in the evolution of the south­ ing tbe plantings and day-to-day upkeep of Rosedown's gar­ ern garden.' dens. The gardens were Martha's "joy and passion." and her In 1828. wealthy landowner Dan iel Turnbull married most prized accomplishmenl, which. according to the journal Martha Hilliard Barrow, uniling lWO prominent West Feliciana she faitl,fu l ly kept, she devoted almost sixty years to maintain­ Parish families. The original Rosedown Plantation and Gar­ ing. Often, after the day's gardening was ended, she would dens were located on seven lrncls of land in south Louisiana complete her joumal emry with the words: "My gardens arc in several miles off lhc eastcm shore of lhc Mississippi River.2 perfect order."' M:ll1ha began with small formal areas of En­ The land eventually included 3,455 acres and was one of the glish boxwood in from of and beside the house. After trips to most productive plantations in the South. Europe these formal areas were extended into landscape gar­ The concept of having formal gardens al Roscdown was dens derived from the English style, an example of which is the ini Li ated during the Turnbulls' wedding trip to Europe late in plan for Stowe Gardens in Bucking-Hamshire (Figure I). Land­ I 828. Though no definite itinerary is known. the Grand Tour scape gardens featured serpentine paths _leading to private historically consisted of visits to notable sites in England and groves, which served as seltings for statuary and garden orna­ 011 the continent, including formal gardens. Trips to Renais- ments.

I wish 10 acknowledge 1he invaluable assis1.ance provided by lhe Feliciana Legend has it that Manila's gardens were designed by a Parisian land• CorpornliOO of Houston, Texas, wi1h spcdnl apprccfa1ion to Mr. Evcren scape architect said 10 be a follower of Andre Le Noire. Other theories Desha. in allowing me m study 1he original documentation regarding hold 1htt1 Ma11ha's garden designs were her own: Joyce Yeldell Leblanc. the garden rc.1;1ora1ion. I would uddilionally like to acknowledge Dr. Neil Gartltn.S ofLouisia11a (Grc1na, Loui5iana: Pelican Publishing Company. Odenw:i.ld. Md lbe personnel at 1he S1. Francisville Historical Sociely 1974) 27. and Library. the I-Jill Memorial Library Special Collections L.ibra.rians al the Louisiana State Uni\'ersity, ond iinally. 1hes1Alla1Rosedown Plan- F. Leopold Pis:tni of Florence v..11s ooccstablishment where lhc.~ garden 1a1ion, The primary doc1.unen1atjon 1 utiJfa.cd for thi.$ paper is cu1TCntl)' omu.men1s "'ere purchased. WOf'd 25. held by Mr. Gene Sli\•ka. the new owner of the RosedC>Wn Plruu.alion House and Gardens. 5 Matk Laird. The fomu,I Garde,, (London: Thames and Hudson, Ud., 1992) 96-99, 112. The n11.mc ··l{oscdown" was taken from a romantic play of that title the ' Turnbulls had seen in New Yort on their honeymoon in addition to • This quotation c-.an be found in Martha's Gardeo Journal under :m cn1ry being an ap1 description of tl,e many roses grown 1here: Ola Mae Word. d:llcd February l848, as well as many similar subsequent entries: Matth:i Reflt>elio,rs ARKE LUTTRULL

In add i1 ion 10 1he fonnal and landscape gardens, Manha house. and sometimes sma!]. contained landscape areas in the planted 1wo herb gardens. The garden for culinary herbs was English style. Large, ex1ensivc fonnal and landscape gardens located behind the ki1chen; and one for medicinal herbs was such as those at Middleton Place and Magnolia Gardens in located next 10 1he plan1ation doctor's office.7 Herb gardens Charleston, South Carolina. did 1101 cxhibi1 their grca1cs1 gro"~h have been documen1ed as far back as ancient Greece, and bave and expansion until af1er 1860, almos1 thirty years af1er the been considered an in1egral pan of garden design in every era Rosedown Planiation gardens were begun. since antiquity. The Civi I War, begun in April, 186 I, radically changed Central to Rosedown's gardens are 1he diverse horticul­ southern life. Daniel Turnbull died six mon1hs af1er the war tural specimens Manha selected for planting. Oriental trees began, leaving Martha 10 cope wi1h impending social and eco­ and shrubs were imported, including. from the forests of east­ nomic changes. During this time established plamation routine ern and southern Asia, the Sacred Cedar of Japan- 1he Cryp­ broke down. Before the war Mru1ha made almost daily entries tomeria.' Many plants unusual 10 1he area were purchased as in her garden journal, but after war broke out there were only early as 1836. According to an invoice dated 8 February I 836. occasional entries. An emry dated January 1864 reads: "Up 10 Martha received fourteen assorted azalea plan1s for Rosedown. this time. since the Federals landed in May, neither field or the earliest known imponation date for this plan1ing.• The garden has been worked. The garden is a wilderness. sedgegrass. Turnbulls were also among the firs t plantation families 10 im­ It looks melancholy."" Martha was never able 10 bring even a port camellias. asdocumemed in an invoice dated 27 February small part of her garden back 10 its fonner grandeur. Lack of 1837 .10 Many roses were started that are now unavailable 011 funds and workers made ii impossible to maimain the planta­ today's market and several varieties of moss roses were also tion crop areas, let alone the pleasure gardens. She contrac1ed propaga1ed." Other plams established at Rosedown were in­ with fonncr slaves to trim the hedges or to rake and remove digo, hollyhock, lilies, caladiums, and crape (crepe) myrtle, as leaves from the avenue. and ren1ed part of her land in exchange well as many others according to family documentation." Tree.~ for work in her garden, bu1 this pl1)ved unsatisfactory.16 An at Rosedown included cypress, beech, sweet olive, magnolia, entry dated 27 January 1873, states: "All renters at work on and dogwood. in addition to the magnificent oaks. planted in the fences-2 plowing-40 Ren1ers-Not the first thing done 1he early 1800s." Martha recorded in her journal those plants in my garden." 17 Petj1jons to the government for monetary repa­ which did and did no1 grow well for her, some1imes changing ra1ion covering property 1akcn by the U.S. Anny went unttn· 1he location and fertilization of plan1ings to ob1ai11 each swered.'1 Martha Turnbull died in 1896. leaving her property specimen's optimum growth. Martha continued replanting vari­ and assets, including Rosedown. to her only surviving child. ous specimens 1hl1)ughout the decades before the Civil War." Sarah Turnbull Bowman. who had often helped her mo1her with At the time of the 1\irnbulls' Grnnd Tour. gardens of the 1he gardens. Sarah and her husband James ran the plan1a1ion size and scope developed at Rosedown were unheard of in the with insufficient labor and funds. and therefore. liule could be United Slates. AII I 81h century American gardens, including done 10 maintain the gardens. Sarah died in 19 14 leaving those at Mount Vcmon and Williamsburg, were much smaller Roscdown 10 four or her 1en children- her only unmarried in concept. consistjng mainly of small fom1al parTerres or com­ daughters-to ensure that they would always have a place to paitmcnts containing fruiL,s, vegetables, or nowers near the main live. James Bowman died in 1927. and hjs eldest unmarried

lnform:uion on grudcn design and la)'Out was taken from site maps drawn The next cmry for a !>pccific ror.c \'aricly is Jtmu.11,y 189 1. 8c1wccn prior to the res1ora1 ion by 1hc restoration architect. George Leake. as these daies listings refer onl)' to "roses." Some of the ,•aricrics recorded well as contemporary garden maps given 10 Roscdown visi101$. The site are Tu.sc.i.n)'. Marec:hal Nit.I. Cloth of Gold. and Sunset: Garden Jou.ma!. maps were included in the rtJ)OC'lS sub,niued to the r~Hciana Corpora­ tion in 19.56 and 1959 by the landscape restora1ion an:hi1cc1. ~ulph 12 Throug.l>OUl the Garden Journal .-.nd invoice documentation rrom Wm. Ellis Gunn, Prince & Sons. these and other plantings arc frequently mentioned: Gar­ den Journal nnd Turnbull-Bowman !='amily ~pers. '!'be Cryptomeria is a member of Lhc Redwood fomil>• ('l'a.xodiace.ac). 11lC n:uivc American veil-ions :i,c 1hc Somhcrn Bald Cypress and the See Nocc 11:'rumbull-O<>wman Family Papers and Garden Joumal. Sequoia: Word 44, " Plaming failures could often be :utribuled 10 seasonal weather co1Klj ­ The Amcric:Hl Honiculturc Sociel)• credits another garden with lhe in• " tions. such as frost. drought too much rain. or too hoc tempcmture.-t. An ' lroduction of azaJeas 10 America in 1872: Leblanc 27-28: addi1ional example lis1cd in Martha's Garden Journal on 12 J:>cccmber 1349 rends. infom1a1ion oon.-.isting of corrcspondeore and invoke..-t from planl com­ "Fros1 killed all roses." Replruuing. howe,•er. occurred in lhe spring of p:tnics was obtained from the Tumbull·Bowm.m FrunJty Papers. Felicinn.i 1850. Thr0ughou1Lh c Journal Martha records "taking uJ>." ·pouing off.• Corpora.lion. Uouston. Texas. and "puning ou1" plantings in the garden.

JO ln addition 10 the doc:umemalion he.Id by the Feliciana Cotpor:uion. fur­ ,, Garden Journal. ther correspondence and plan1ing in\'oice5 were obtained from lhc Tumbull-Bowman Family Pa.pcrs. Special Collections. Hill Memorial 16 Garden Journal. Library. Louisiana Staie Uni\'ersity Libraries. Baton Rouge. 17 Garden Joonial. II The first entry for a named variety of rose is 5 November 1852. Manll3 also nOLed her propaga1ion of "White Moss Roses" on 6 November 1852. 11 Word 27. 44 ROSEOOWN PLAl

daughter, Miss Corrie fo llowed him in 1929, leaving the Misses The actual res1ora1i~n of the Rosedown gardens was dif­ Isabel, Sarah, and Nina 10 manage the debt-ridden plantation. ferent from any previous project of this nature. In garden res­ Manha Tunibull must have instilled into her daughter and torations such as those at Williamsburg and Mount Vernon, ex­ granddaughters her own abiding love for Rosedown. With no tensive archaeological investigation was required 10 detennine one 10 help them and no money to pay fo r help, the Bowman past formats or these gardens that had been destroyed by time sisters took on the task of removing the mortgages and debts and man. The gardens at Roscdown, however, were still very and trying to bring order 10 the estate. Each sister looked after much in evidence in spite of Ll1e overgro"~h of vines and weeds. one part of the plantation. II was not unusual 10 see one of the It is 10 Martha Turnbull's credit that, though the restoration or ladies dressed in overalls wielding a shovel. Each had an ac­ the gardens was a monumental task, it was not nearly as diffi­ cou111 book for ber owo area and each kept meticulous records cult as that of the colonial gardens. Martha's philosophy ofgar­ of money spent and saved. 19 dening was "try and fail, but try again." and the "inven1ory or In the late 1930s travellers discovered the numerous ante­ planis still living in the gardens is proof of the value of the bellum homes from Natchez to New Orleans along tl1e Missis­ cxperimenis in plant introduction conducted over a sixty year sippi River, and many were directed to Rosedowa. The Bow­ period at Rosedown. "23 Martha's garden journal and other fam­ man sisters' guest books rec.ord visitors from almost every state ily papers made possible the near perfect restoration of the gar­ in America and from as far away as Singapore."' The sisters dens because she kept precise records of all her plantings. gave tours of the house and grounds for a fee. and azalea and It took several years 10 clear away the tangle of unwanted camellia cuuings, poued plants, and postcards of Rosedown plants on the 28 acres of what were once Martha's formal gar­ were sold as souvenirs. The Bowman sisters were determined dens." The remaining plants were catalogued, and in addition 10 hold Rosedown together despite overwhelming odds, but as 10 the almost 200 year-old live oaks, there were many other time passed Ille house and gardens slowly deteriorated. One plantings well over 100 years old, such as azaleas, camellias. by one the sisters died-Miss Isabel in 1951 , Miss Sarah in sweet olive, English boxwood, and crape mynle. After cata­ 1952. and finally Miss Nina in I 955. Miss Nina left Rosedown loguing, replanti ng began in accordance with the writi ngs in 10 her nieces and nephews "intac~ with not a single mongage the journal. Many of the original Rosedown plants were no or bill oulSlanding. "" The heirs of Roscdown placed the plan­ longer available on today's markeL II was decided 1ha1 the only tation on the market in 1956. way 10 restore aulhcn1ici1y would be 10 establish an extensive In the spring of 1956. Catherine Fondren Underwood of program in which original plants still growing on the premises Houston, Texas, saw Rosedown fo r the first time. Even though would be propagated for replanting." Plants regenerated for the house was in great disrepair and Ille gardens overgrown, as Ille restoration include: the "hip" or "lanteni" gardenia, the rare seen in pre-restoration images (Figures 2a and 2b), she could old "lace cap" hydrangea (Figure 3), begonias, cedar fem, moss see evidence of its past beauty. Within a week she and her roses. and several varieties of old roses such as the chesllllll husband, Milton Underwood, decided 10 buy Roscdown and rose, most introduced before 1867.26 restore it to its former greatness-as it had been at its heigl11 in A major objective for the gardens set fo rth by Mrs. the 1845-59 period. Since the gardens would be a long-range Underwood was 10 preserve the old plants in an unpn111ed state project, work began in this area lirs1. Ralph Bil is Gunn of Hous­ wherever possible. These plants are allowed 10 grow 10 run ton was chosen as landscape architect. Mrs. Unde,wood was maturity unhindered and include several sweet olives over Lllirty interested in authenticity and perfection above all else. Her main feel tall. and camellia seedlings which are now over 25 feet in directive during the entire restoration was: "If there is a belier height." way 10 do it. then do it that way. If you can't find what you Gunn was unable 10 fo llow eomplctely Mrs. Underwood's need. have it made. "22 The restoration team was given as much prime directive ofan authentic garden restoration. Existing walk­ time and money as they needed to complete their task. The ways gave direction as to the original garden layout. Some of only stipulation was that Mr. and Mrs. Underwood would have Ille plantings had grown so large, however, that walkways had fi nal approval in every facet of the restoration. 10 be altered 10 preserve what Ralph Ellis Gunn characterized

Harnen T. Kane. Plm1Ullio11 f>aradt! (New Yod.: William Morrow and Word 40. " Company, 1945) 302-303. " 24 Word 42. "' Guest books kcpe by lhc Bowman sisters record 1hc names and addresses ,, or all visitors 10 Rosedown during th.is period: Tumbull-Bowman Fam­ Ralph Ellis Gunn. Report on Rosed.own Plantation. 1956. Feliciana Cor♦ ily PaJ)ers. Louisiana State University Llbraric..o:;. poration. Hou~on, Texas.

21 Word 28. ,. Word 42.

22 Word 30. W0

as "remarkable hon.icultural specimens," and some paths were The landscaping of ou1houses had also become a faclor in added to increase "visual enjoyment "211 In addition, roses origi­ garden design from the I8 111cc nLUry onward. The ladies "privy" nally plan1ed along 1he oak avenue and scauered throughout was generally located close 10 1he main house and was land­ the garden had to be relocated to lhe fo rmal pleasure garden scaped with flowering plants and trees, making i1 an inlegral area, since trees had grown so large !here was no longer suffi­ pan of the garden. In con1ras1, the men's facility was set off in cienl sunligh1 forthe roses to nourish. Hydrangeas and awleas an area apart from 1he gardens and was usually not landscaped were plan1ed where lhc roses once were.29 Mosl plams pur­ (Figures 6a and 6b)." chased for the res1oration were of a type known 10 have been Rosedown 's gardens followed the format !hat had been es- used in the 1850s, though 001 necessarily at Rosedown. 1ablished by wcalLhy sou Lhcm landowners from the I 81h cen­ In addi1ion 10 lhe planlings, Gunn was also responsible for tury as the typical southern garden. This formal consis1ed of a the restorntion of existing garden omamcnts and strucLUrcs. combination of the French formal style with the English land­ These elements were left in their original positions, sometimes scape style, and fea tured serpentine paths (Figure 7). Bo1h with plantings added 10 enhance 1heir overall appearance. Gar­ native and imporled pkrntings were i ncorpormed, wi1h many of den structures included three summerhouses, a greenhouse. a 1he importations adding significantly 10 the ho1ticultural his­ 1oolhouse. two outhouses. a doveco1e. and a rockery. Garden tory of the soulhcrn garden. ornaments included extensive statuary, fountains. and a sun­ Manha Turnbull's impona Li on ofa,.alcas and camellias in dial, which had been purchased in Europe and fo llowed 1he 1836-37 was instrumental in esiablishing 1hose species in the general decorative styles and themes es1ablishcd there."' Tra­ deep south. For example, the "Rosedown Pink" azalea. an early­ dilionaJJ y, some or all of these structures we1'C frcquemly in­ bloomi ng variety, is of Roscdown'soriginal stock. This varie1y cluded as adjunc1s 10 g,irden designs dating from ancient times of azalea is today found in only a few mher Feliciana Parish to the present. Summerhouses, staluary. sundials, and fountains gardens and hence takes its name from the plantation where it were frequently central features of Renaissance and Baroque was firs1 established. garden design. Greenhouses were commonly used for 1he grow­ Antebellum plantation gardens, however, were characcer­ ing of exoLic and 1ropical plants feawrcd 1hroughoul a garden ized more by 1heir spiril than 1heir plan or planlings. Tiiese or inside a main house. and toolhouscs were often built as cen­ gardens above all fcacurcd elegant gentility combined with natu­ tralized areas in which to store garden implements and where ral beau1y, and served as a setting for the "jewel" of1hc plan1a­ new plantings or cu1Li ngs would be 1r:insplan1ed. tion-the main house. Rosedown is both 1ypical and unique as The dovecote or aviary had also become a popular feature an example of sou1hem anlebellum heritage. Typical feamres of the English landscape garden. 11iis tradi1ion had been trans­ arc the combined formal and landscape design, 1he exlensive poned 10 America as evidenced by the plan for a dovecoledrawn dccorath1c ornamentation, and the garden SlTuCLures- all com­ by11iomas Jefferson for Monticello. The dovCC-Ole ai Rosedown mon elements of gardens a1 1he 1ime in both Europe and (Figure 4) is removed from 1he main garden areas and is set America. Unique. however, are 1he extensive si ze and scope of againsl Lhe naluralism of lhe plantation reservoir. the gardens, which were unparalleled in America during the Rockcrics: could trace tJ1eir evolution from the rockwork. early decades of the 19th century, the early impona1ion and and grolloes of Renaissance and Baroque gardens. Na1uralis­ introduction of many of Rosedown's plantings. and the esrab­ tic, moss-covered ou1croppings and foliage-draped rock arches lishmen1 of the t.radition of a live oak avenue perpendicular 10 became promincnl features within such gardens. lo English the main house and forming a living interpretation ofa Go1hic gardens a rockery was somelimes used as 1he termination poinl archway (Figures 8a and 8b). Rosedown's gardens, however, to a flower garden; an example of this would be 1he reconstruc­ arc an anomaly in the his1ory of lhe sou1hero garden in thal tion of 1he Hoole House rock garden in Cheshire, England." they vinually ouL~hine the plantaLi on house. Indeed, Roscdown·s Rosedown·s rockery (Figure 5) is in lhe fo rm of a rock arch gardens are the "jewel" and 1he house is their selling. draped with ivy vines, and as in English gardens, serves as the border be1ween the landscape area of the No11h garden and formal nower gardens al lhc side of 1he main house. Florida S1a1e University

?-8 Pa.ths ha\'C also been added 10 allow beuer use and main1coancc of the goddesses. Md a statue of the biblical figure. St.. Francis or Assisi. from area; Ralph Ellis Gunn, i:tcport on Roscdown l>Jan1:uion, 19S9. fclician., ""·hom the 1own's. name (St. i::·mncis\•ille) wtL" derived. Corporation. Houston. Texas, Bret1l Elliott. Vicl()ritm Garde,u (Pon.land. C>re{_,on: 1imbc.r i>re..:;s, 1986) 29 Or. Neil G. Odenwald, personal 1clcphone intcn·icw. 2 June 1993. " 46-48.

Marble sta.1 ual')' a1 Rosedown include.., the following.: figures or cher­ 32 Ami Leighton. American G<1rdens ofthe Ninetetmth U111ury (Amhcrs1: "' ubs, founlains in 1hc shape of ums and shells. quatlelS or s.t:nues repre• University of Massachuscus Press. 1987) 2 16. seming 1he four co1uinen1s. the four se:i.~ns. variou..:; Roman gods and 46 ROSEDOWN Pl,.AlffATION GARDENS '. THE EVOLUTION OF A SOUTILERN MASTERPIECE

Figure I. Plan of Slowe Gardens. 8ucking-Hamshire. England, as reproduced by Derck Clifford irl /\ Hi$1Qry 0-/Carde,1D e.tig11 (Frederick/\, Pr-.ieger. Publisher), J963. plnte 62.

- Figure 2a. Prc-restora1ion view of Oak Avenue . Roscdown Plantation. St. Francis,•illc, Louisiana. Courtesy of Rosedown Plantation and Mis1oric Gardens. 47 ATiiANOR XllJ MARY PARKE Llfl'TRULL

Figure 2b. J>re..re:sloration view of house and front garden. R()SC(lown l'>lantation, S1. Prancis\•illc. Louisian.-i. Counesy or George M. Le.alee. AJA. rcs1ora1ion architect.

Figure 3. Rare old "lace cap" hydmogea.. Rosedown Plantation. St. Francis,•ille. Louisiann.. Coune..-.y of Ro:-.edown P'lan111.1ion and Historic Gardcnc:.

Figure 4, Pla,ua1ion Resen·oir wilh Dovecote. Rosc..-down Plnnt:uion, St. Francisville, Louisiana. 48 ROSEOOWN PLANTATION GARDENS '. TIIE EVOLUTION OF A SOUTil.ERN MASTERPIECE

Figute S. Rockery. Roscdown Plan1a1ion. St Prunci1>\'illc. Louisiana. ~igurc 6a. L:1dies' Privy. Rosedown Pl:uu:uion, St. Frt1ncisvillc. L.oujsiana.

Figure 61,. Men's l',ri\'y, Roscdown Plan1ation. St. FrancisviJle. Louisiana. Figure 7. Serpentine palh in Soolh Garden. Roscdown Plantation. St. Francisvtlk. Louisian3.

Figure Sb. Plantati01l House from Oak Avenue, Rosedown Plan1ation. St. Francisville, Lou is-iana. Figure Sa. Original RosCOOwn az.1.leas.. Cmara founlain and plan1 a1 ion house, Roscdown l)Jantation. SL Francisville. Looisiana. Councsy of Rosedown Plaotation and His:toric Gardens. 49