The Garden — Past and Present (Historical Marker)

Here follows the inscription written on this trailside historical marker:

The Garden — Past and Present
1. The garden that you see today is conjectural no detailed information exists about the design of John Carlyle's garden though Carlyle's 1780 estate inventory together with other documentary evidence indicates that he had one on this site. It is probable that the garden was located here, to the rear of the house, with a good southeast exposure and out of the way of the foot traffic between outbuildings.

2. The terrace was added to the rear of the house in the mid-19th century by James Green, resident from 1848 to 1880 as seen in this circa 1920 view. Under the terrace are two storage cellars.

Today, both a formal, geometric and an informal plan garden in the 18th-century style have been planted. Typically, an 18th-century garden would have contained not only ornamentals, but also fruits and vegetables, although only ornamentals are planted today. Plant materials used in this rear garden are not necessarily 18th-century species.

3. Sample formal garden plan from New Principles of Gardening by Batty Langley, London 1728 From the 1971 reprint courtesy of Gregg International Surrey, England.

The Garden:
This photo of Carlyle House, taken sometime between 1920 and 1950 by Theodor Horydczak, shows the garden as it existed at that time.