Garden Sponsorship: Herb Garden

Surrounding the Bidwell House are terraced stone walls brimming with perennial beds. Installed in the 20th century when the house was restored, these provide a fabulous setting for this gem of a Georgian saltbox. The remaining acreage is woodlands laced with hiking trails and footpaths leading to historical landmarks throughout the property.

The gardens have been carefully developed and maintained over the years, starting with Jack Hargis and David Brush in the 1960s, followed by decades of wonderful gardeners and dedicated Museum volunteers. In order to ensure future enjoyment of the gardens, there are several projects that we are looking to fund to be undertaken in our upcoming 2022 season.

The Herb Garden interprets both the herbs used in a traditional colonial herb garden and the medicinal herbs used by the Stockbridge-Munsee. It needs a complete revamping at this point. This will include the removal of all plant material, some of which will be thinned, and some of which will be planted elsewhere. The soil will be amended and cultivated, and then the garden will be designed and planted to reflect the medicinal and herbal gardens of colonial times.