RECESS 



ACK from the James River, on the highlands, 

 nestled among the trees which have long been a 

 feature of the place, lies the Recess garden. This 

 was laid out under the direction of General John H. 

 Cocke, who left his home in Surrey County, Vir- 

 ginia, to come to the estate of his forefathers, 

 before the War of 1812. 



General Cocke settled temporarily at Bremo Recess while he 

 was building the handsome home a few miles away which he called 

 Bremo, in memory of an early home of his family in Henrico 

 County. 



The Recess garden occupied an exact acre and lies four square. 

 The uplands were not as fertile as the lowgrounds, so General 

 Cocke had three feet of the soil removed from the garden and 

 replaced it with three feet of earth from the lowgrounds, thus 

 making it rich to begin with. The garden was laid out in squares 

 with walks between and a narrow border around each square for 

 flowers or grapevines. It was all enclosed by a stone wall, parts of 

 which were and still are covered with English ivy, making it very 

 picturesque. 



There are vines and rosebushes left in this garden that were 

 loved and cherished by the wife of General Cocke. One in par- 

 ticular, that flourishes today and has given delight to many of her 

 descendants, is called the musk cluster. This has the most unique 

 and exquisite odor imaginable. Like all odors, it has the power of 

 awakening the memories of so much that is dear and sacred of those 

 who are gone. 



Before he died, General Cocke gave Recess to his oldest son 

 and namesake. One of the legacies left by the latter was a splendid 

 collection of pear trees, which have delighted generations of chil- 



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