Object Details
- General
- This 13,000 square-foot garden is the largest enclosed garden in Savannah. It is located adjacent to the William Scarbrough House, a classical Regency mansion built in 1819 that houses the Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum. When the property was acquired in 1972 by the Historic Savannah Foundation the garden was a mass of rubble and tangled vegetation bordered by crumbling brick walls. With major fund-raising by the Trustees' Garden Club, restoration work was begun by grading, hauling in topsoil, installing sprinkler and drainage systems, and repairing and reinforcing the brick walls. Garden club members organized into teams then competed to prepare the best design to complement the period and style of the mansion. The plan chosen featured a large flagstone terrace; a memorial pavilion; side beds with live oaks, magnolias, and smaller shrubs and urns; and benches and walks. By 1997 the foundation had moved its headquarters and the Scarbrough House became the Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum. Closure by the city of a side street enabled extension of the garden by an additional 35 feet. Subsequent alterations to the 1984-85 Trustees' Garden Club plan have included replacing lawn with a brick terrace, modifying the memorial pavilion, increasing the size of the terrace, and planting pre-1860 era antique roses.
- Persons associated with the garden include: William Jay (architect, ca. 1819); William Scarbrough (former owner, ca. 1819); and John McEllen (landscape designer, 1996 to date).
- Architect
- Jay, William
- Former owner
- Scarbrough, William
- Landscape designer
- McEllen, John
- Provenance
- Trustees' Garden Club
- Collection Creator
- Garden Club of America
- Place
- Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum (Savannah, Georgia)
- United States of America -- Georgia -- Chatham County -- Savannah
- Topic
- Gardens -- Georgia -- Savannah
- Architect
- Jay, William
- Former owner
- Scarbrough, William
- Landscape designer
- McEllen, John
- Provenance
- Trustees' Garden Club
- See more items in
- The Garden Club of America collection
- The Garden Club of America collection / Series 1: United States Gardens / Georgia
- Sponsor
- A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.
- Custodial History
- The Trustees Garden Club facilitated the submission of this garden's documentation.
- Archival Repository
- Archives of American Gardens
- Identifier
- AAG.GCA, File GA172
- Type
- Archival materials
- Collection Citation
- Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
- Collection Rights
- Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
- Scope and Contents
- The folder includes a worksheet and copies of the 1984-85 garden plan and the current garden plan, elevations of the memorial pavilion, and plant lists.
- Collection Restrictions
- Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
- Record ID
- ebl-1643208220039-1643210179058-1
Related Content
View Slideshow
