Gardens at Carnton Gardens at Carnton were a part of middle Tennessee's plantation landscape throughout the 19th century. The first McGavock dwelling on this site, constructed around 1815, occupied the space between the existing house and the smokehouse. It is believed that Randal and Sarah McGavock had a dooryard (flower) garden on the south side of this structure. A larger kitchen garden was most likely located west of the house. After Randal McGavock’s death his son, John, made stylistic alterations to the landscape. In 1847 he removed his mother’s flower garden and enlarged the front yard. The garden to the west of the house may have taken on a more ornamental character. Plots for growing vegetables may have been rimmed with flower borders containing an assortment of shrubs, vines, and herbaceous plants. In 1848 John married Carrie Winder, and according to a family letter she “proceeded to change [the garden] and continued to change it.” The cultivation of the garden must have been especially important to John and Carrie. This is evident in John McGavock’s will which states, “I will and bequeath to my wife Carrie W. the exclusive possession and control of my residence, yard, and garden.” Brick-lined paths edge the planting beds in the garden. Photo courtesy of Melanie Little

The cedar arbor Carnton's back porch from the garden Boxwoods and the Osage orange tree   Photos above by Bruce Wolf

No photographs exist to show the arrangement of this mid-19th century garden, but despite years of neglect and change, some physical evidence remained into the 1990s indicating its extent and layout. The presence of a large Osage-orange tree in the center of the southeast quadrant suggests that vegetable growing was eventually discontinued in garden plots nearest the house. Although this thorny tree or hedge was often used as a “living” fence before the invention of barbed wire, several 19th century garden writers, including Andrew Jackson Downing, advocated using them as specimen trees because of their attractive glossy foliage and unique grapefruit-sized fruit. They could also be grown as a fine shade tree or as a luxuriant, round-headed shrub.

Culinary and Medicinal Herbs Basil Cat Mint Catnip Chives Chamomile Coriander Dill Elecampane Fennel Oregano Parsley Sage Spearmint St. John’s Wort Wormwood Carnton's garden as seen from the upstairs porch Photo by Margie Thessin Photo courtesy of John Chastain Click here to take a visual tour of Carnton's garden on www.ThePreservationChannel.com . Read the interview with Carnton head gardener Justin Stelter in Southern Exposure Magazine.

19th Century Heirloom Varieties Flowers and Ornamentals Bee Balm, Monarda didyma (1700s) Bleeding Heart, Dicentra Spectabilis (1848) Boxwood, Buxus Sempervirens (ancient) Coral Bells, Heuchera sanguina (1600s) Dames Rocket, Hesperis matronalis (1500s) Flag Iris, Iris pseudacorus (1600s) Foxglove, Digitalis purpurea (1700s) Hibiscus, Hibiscus coccineus (1700s) Hollyhock, Alcea Rosea (1600s) Lamb’s Ear, Stachys byzantina (1782) Mallow, Malva Sylvestris (1600s) Money Plant, Lunaria rediviva (1300s) Morning Glory, Ipomoea (1500s) Oriental Poppy, Papaver Orientalis (1741) Plume Poppy, Macleaya cordata (1795) Ribbon Grass, Phalaris arundinacea picta (1850) Yucca, Filamentosa (ancient) Roses,“ Harison’s Yellow” (1800s), Rosa Mundi (1300), & Rosa Gallica Officinalis (ancient) Fruits and Vegetables Asparagus Bush Beans, “Black Valentine” Lima Beans, “Carolina Sieva” Snap/Pole Beans, “Kentucky Wonder” Beets, “Early Blood Turnip” Blackberries Broccoli, “Early Purple Sprouting” Cabbage, “Mammoth Red Rock” & “E. Jersey Wakefield” Cauliflower, “Early Snowball” &“Purple Cape” Collards, “Green Glaze” Corn, “Bloody Butcher” and “Stowell’s Evergreen” Carrots, “Early Scarlet Horn” Cucumbers, “West Indian Gherkin” Gooseberries Lettuce, “Black Seeded Simpson” & “Limestone Bibb” Melons, “Jenny Lind” & “Georgia Rattlesnake” Okra, “Cowhorn” Onions, “Red Wethersfield” Peas, “Thomas Laxton,” “Risser Sickle,” “Early Alaska” Peppers, “Long Red Cayenne” & “Texas Bird Pepper” Potatoes, “Early Rose” & “Garnet Chile” Pumpkins, “Connecticut Field” Radishes, “China Rose” Raspberries Strawberries Squash, “Yellow Crookneck” Sweet Potatoes Tomatoes, “Cherokee Purple” & “Yellow Pear” Turnips, “Seven Top”