Tour of Gardens
The Garden Tours are Saturday April 12th from 1:00 PM until 5:00 PM.
Jehu Foster Marshall
Robertson-Hutchinson Garden
509 North Main Street
Mrs. May Hutchinson’s Garden will be on tour Saturday from 1 until 5 during the Abbeville French Heritage Festival. The 15 ft fountain built in the early 1800’s was restored recently. The garden is filled with flowering azaleas, magnolias and dogwoods. The redwood tree is a site to see. It is over 115 ft tall. Do not miss the small head stone marking the special family cats resting place.
Soon after J. Foster Marshall purchased 12 acres of land on North Main Street c. 1846, the front garden fountain began to take shape. Marshall was considered a sophisticated landscaper with plants, both exotic and otherwise, that were becoming readily available from Pomaria Nurseries near Newberry, South Carolina. Marshall's landscaping efforts were interrupted by the Mexican War as he served in the Palmetto Regiment.
Upon his return from the war, the landscaping started up again in earnest. It was during this period that we must assume, that the giant redwood [Sequoia Sempervirens] was planted. Boxwoods were planted in neat parterres, as well as magnolias, both bays and grandifloras.
By 1857, Marshall had the assistance of the Rev. Benjamin Johnson, rector of Trinity Episcopal Church in Abbeville who was also a landscaper.Existing records of the nursery show that Marshall ordered plants frequently. It was in these years that a 15 foot fountain [now being restored] was added to the south garden. Marshall's wife Elizabeth DeBruhl Marshall designed
many of the geometric walkways. After Col Marshall's death in 1862 she managed their vast holdings, plantations, and the house and gardens until her death in 1868. Elizabeth was the daughter of Jesse DeBruhl who built the DeBruhl Marshall House in Columbia.
many of the geometric walkways. After Col Marshall's death in 1862 she managed their vast holdings, plantations, and the house and gardens until her death in 1868. Elizabeth was the daughter of Jesse DeBruhl who built the DeBruhl Marshall House in Columbia.
This property came into the Robertson family in 1872 and additions were made to the garden at that time. Eugenia Robertson Baskin added azaleas and tended the garden lovingly until her death.Her daughter, May Robertson Baskin Hutchinson, the present owner, is now the caretaker and her daughters Jean Robertson Hutchinson and Ann Hutchinson Waigand who played in the garden on summer visits now carry on the tradition of coming home to work in the garden.
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