Historic Scotchtown Gardens

Scotchtown historic garden

Want to learn more about historic gardens that thrive in Hanover County?

Check out our demonstration gardens at Scotchtown.

Patrick Henry resided at Scotchtown from 1771 to 1778, during his most influential time in revolutionary history including when wrote his famous “Liberty of Death” speech and became Virginia’s Governor. It is the only original standing home of Patrick Henry open to the public and is one of the largest buildings to survive that time. Preservation Virginia acquired the property in 1958 and the surrounding outbuildings and gardens are reproductions based on period life.

Today, Hanover Master Gardeners tend to the demonstration gardens on the property including a dye, kitchen and flower plots. We also provide plant clinics on special event days.

The dye garden includes the following plants used to color fabrics like cotton, wool, linen, silk and hemp.

  • Dyer’s chamomile  – yellow
  • Lanceleaf coreopsis – yellow and gold
  • Comos– gold, yellow and orange
  • Golden rod – yellow, tan and gold
  • Amaranthus – red
  • Japanese indigo  – blue
  • Madder – red and orange
  • Weld – yellow
  • Comfrey – brown, gold and green
  • Yarrow – green

Plants in Kitchen Garden include the following:Hanover Master Gardeners Historic Demo Garden at Scotchtown

  • Tomatoes
  • Scarlet Runner Beans
  • Pattypan Squash
  • Onions
  • Rosemary
  • Oregano
  • Thyme
  • Lemon Balm
  • Basil
  • Asparagus
  • Garlic Chives
  • Lettuce
  • Swiss Chard

Flower garden plants to be added soon.  Check back.

Additional information regarding Scotchtown is available here Patrick Henry’s Scotchtown – Preservation Virginia and here Scotchtown | Virginia Museum of History & Culture (virginiahistory.org)

For more information on period plants try “Thomas Jefferson’s Garden Book: 1766-1824″ or “Thomas Jeffersons Flower Garden at Monticello” by Thomas Jefferson.

 

➤