I read
Taste, Memory by David Buchanan and learned about Carolina Gold rice and Glenn Roberts' efforts to rebuild heritage grain agriculture. Then I came across a meeting on "Preserving Our Coastal Garden Heritage Camellia Culture and Rice Plantations" being held in Savannah, Georgia. I joined the Southern Garden History Society and signed up to attend their annual meeting and was in Savannah on February 28, 2014.
It rained on my first day in Georgia, but Forsyth Park is beautiful in any weather.
Hugh Golson, former curator of the Georgia Historical Society, lectured and lead our tours. He explained how James Oglethorp founded the Georgia colony in 1732 and planned the squares and lots of Savannah. The British colony of Georgia was established as a barrier against Spanish expansion from Florida. Lawyers, slavery and Catholics were banned from the colony. However, in 1750 slavery and rice were introduced, creating wealth and prosperity. Local horticulturalist began collecting exotic species which included Camillia japonica. The live oaks were planted 120 years ago and form a massive tree canopy dripping with Spanish moss and hosting Resurrection ferns.
The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist and the extensive oak canopy along East Liberty St.
At the annual meeting of the Southern Garden History Society Treasurer Gail Griffin, Dumbarton Oaks, received the Flora Ann Bynum Medal from President Staci Catron, Director Cherokee Garden Library.
We toured the Savannah Historic District and visited several homes and gardens. Among them the Stoddard-Lawton-Downing House whose garden has a contemporary design.
The Comer-Hill House garden has been restored including the wrought iron fencing and garden walls.
The original parterre pattern in the front garden at the Green-Meldrim House is adjacent to Madison Square.This is the house that General Sherman used as headquarters when the Federal army occupied Savannah.in December 1864.
The Batersby-Hartridge has a walled garden that is the oldest surviving Savannah garden retaining its original parterre plan and some of the plantings.
Friday night dinner was a lovely buffet held in the garden at Scarborough House and Ships of the Sea Museum. Unfortunately, it was very cold so I missed the lecture by John McEllen on his comtemporary design for the gardens at the Museum.
