West Of Free Press — December 2022 - Flipbook - Page 11
COMMUNITY
Charleston’s Garden of Eden
By D
o nn a Jac obs
St. Andrew’s Parish was well-known for it’s
beautiful farms and gardens
F
arms and gardens have been an
important aspect of St Andrew’s
Parish history going back to the first
experimental farm in the 1670s where
Joseph West was the agent for the Lords
Proprietors. The purpose of this farm
was to determine which crops would
best grow to provide food, furnish seed
stock and to promote future agricultural
operations. Once functionality was in
place for the colony, beauty and form
took hold. Seventy years later, Henry
Middleton was envisioning a grand scale
garden that has survived the generations
and provided beauty to the Parish.
In 1886, the “New Bridge” across
the Ashley River was built to replace the
one burned during the Civil War. Soon the
beauty of St. Andrew’s Parish, its gardens,
and the farms where featured in the
newspaper and people were encouraged
to come visit. In May of 1888 an article ran
in The News & Courier with the headline:
“Over in St. Andrew’s. A Picturesque
Region which is Being Converted into a
Garden Spot – The Villages and Farms on
the Other Side of the Ashley.” The article
begins: “There are a good many alleged
‘Garden Spots’ in this world. Charleston
has very just claims to the site of the
‘Garden of Eden’.” The reporter went on
to describe the Parish as an “El Dorado”, a
reference to a mythical beautiful city.
This love of gardens remained
steadfast throughout the Parish’s history.
In more modern time, nurseries became
a flourishing business in the Parish.
Many remember Margaret Higdon, her
love for camellias; the Old Fort Nursery
and Gardens on Ashley River Road and
her TV show –“Gardening with Margaret
Higdon”. But what about the nurseries that
were located on Wappoo Road: Mosely’s,
Skinner and Flowerland nurseries?
Today, one might live on Skinner
Avenue or Garden Street or in Flowerland
Terrace, but step back in time a bit and the
suppliers of plants for the gardens of the
Georgia (nee-Lide) Bootle poses by the sign for Skinner Nursery. The sign is illegible but was identified in the scrapbook.
Notice the railroad crossing sign in the background. (Photography courtesy of Ina Bootle)
area once occupied these places. Easily
accessible nurseries were a hit with all
the ladies who established Garden Clubs in
these newly designed subdivisions.
In 1929, a plat of Tract D of Flowerland
Terrace was prepared for Mrs. Dorothy
Boynton and Miss Leila Skinner. Skinner’s
Nursery is illustrated on the south side
of the subdivision. An ad that ran in the
June 10, 1930 edition of The Evening Post
advertized an auction to be held for the
sale of lots in Flowerland Terrace. The
enticing ad speaks to the fruit bearing
trees and strawberry plants that were
cultivated at Flowerland Nursery and
planted in the newly subdivided area. The
nursery is located to the north of the lots
according to the ad.
In addition to the ads about Flowerland
Terrace, there continued to be ads for
Flowerland Nursery. The ad in the June
9, 1930 edition of The Evening Post tells
us that the nursery was formally Mosely’s
Nursery. One can “Get a Beautiful
Bouquet of Hydrangeas, Gladiolas, Calla
Lilies” at the nursery or maybe drop in and
investigate the new subdivision. In the
fall, “chrysanthemums in all colors” and
26
“shrubbery of all kinds” are featured in the
ads for Flowerland Nursery.
As Charleston gears up for the Fall
Garden Tours, it is nice to reminisce about
the Parish nurseries that supplied some of
the color and beauty.
And to the curious mind — Are
strawberries still growing and fruit trees
still bearing in the Flowerland area?
`Gardens, garden clubs, or
nurseries stories? Contact Donna at
westashleybook@gmail.com.