Boxwood Hedges in Historic Gardens
Over several days, a National Park Service team replaced missing historic boxwood hedges in the Chatham Garden. This video from the Olmsted Center for Landscape Preservation covers:
- Boxwood Selection
- Preparing Planting Trenches
- Setting an Alignment Line
- Planting Demonstration
- Fertilizer and Mulching
Watch the Video
About Chatham Gardens
Chatham Manor in Fredericksburg, Virginia, is part of Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park. Its history dates to the 1700s, when the property was a thriving plantation. The grand, Georgian-style house overlooking the Rappahannock River, built between 1768 and 1771, was surrounded by supporting structures and fields.
The colonial revival garden was originally designed by Ellen Biddle Shipman and Charles Gillette in the early-20th century, and the existing walls, statues, and Ionic columns represent this period. The garden that visitors encounter today was redesigned in the 1980s.
Chatham Gardens in Spring
The gardens are a reflection of post-Civil War recovery and Chatham’s transformation from working plantation to elegant estate, and the boxwood hedges were part of this historic designed landscape.
Can’t find what you need? Contact the Park Cultural Landscapes Program via email or the program lead in your region.