Historic Gardens of Virginia 



land and reproduced it here. For many years the estate suffered 

 decay, and it was used as officers' headquarters during the War 

 Between the States by both armies. Yet, during all these trying 

 times, no one cut down the beautiful boxwood or harmed the 

 larger trees. 



A broad avenue one-half mile in length leads from the public 

 road to the house. As one enters here, the road divides and circles 

 to the marble walk which leads to the front door. On this front 

 lawn are the very largest trees — beech, laurel, oak and maple. 

 Across the front of the house and along the two sides are the box- 

 trees which in front are kept low and clipped, but at the sides 

 have been allowed to grow as trees will until now they reach above 

 the middle of the second-story windows. 



On the left of the house is a terrace with fine large box-trees 

 on the edge. On this also is the formal rose garden, which has been 

 planted by the present owner. Going down from the terrace by two 

 stone steps and on for about thirty feet one comes upon a little 

 stream with box-trees on either side, whose tops meet above it. 

 This is a veritable bird sanctuary, for here the year around birds 

 of some kind may be found. In summer the mocking bird, the 

 cardinal and the wren make it their very own. 



On the other side of the stream after another level of about 

 thirty feet the ground is terraced again. Here, too, are box-trees 

 in line with the trees of the other terrace. On this the red day 

 lilies run wild and in June are a glowing mass. This is not seen 

 until one comes on it suddenly upon descending the first terrace. 

 There, too, the white narcissus is naturalized. Other native wild 

 flowers have been moved here — the blood-root, trailing arbutus 

 and others. 



This year most of the box-trees have had their first clipping. 

 To know that one thousand three hundred pounds of short clippings 

 were cut and can hardly be missed, shows the number and size of 

 the stately trees of England that have found a home here and seem 

 to like it. 



