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 0111amenL<i in the 17th century French tory and evolution of the plantation. encompassing compari­ and llalian styles were purchased for the gardens during this son with established gardens of the time, an analysis of the plan­ and other trips 10 Europe.' ning and horticultural experimentation by Lhe original owner, Manha Turnbull began the "avenue of oaks" 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 of the 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 <Jf Ro.tedown (New Orie-ans: Rosedown Plantation and Gar• Turnbull. Garden Journal. Special Collections. Hill Memorial Library. dens. 1976) 11. Louisiana State Universi1y Libraries.. Ba1on Rouge. ATIJANOR XIII MARY i>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.