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THE ROSE BRIGGS MEMORIAL GARDEN

Recreating the Garden at the Hedge House

Nestled within the ell of the historic Hedge House lies a once delightful part of Plymouth history—an early 20th century garden, later named to honor Rose T. Briggs for her devotion to the Plymouth Antiquarian Society. Sadly this Colonial Revival garden had to be disrupted during the recent restoration of the house. During the project the garden brickwork was removed to allow for the installation of an engineered drainage system.

In 2011, this enchanting garden oasis in the heart of the downtown will be recreated.The restored garden will enable the Antiquarian Society to once more welcome the public to programs, events, and gatherings in this uniquely appealing area.

The original garden was designed in classic Colonial Revival style and incorporated features of traditional Plymouth gardens, including brick terraces. Its layout was based on old gardens that survived into the 1920s and were documented by early Antiquarian volunteers. The Society maintains an archive of these intriguing historic garden materials, but the Hedge garden remains the only known physical example of these earlier landscape designs.

Helen T. Briggs, a founder of the Society and mother of Rose, conducted much of the research for the original 1920s garden design at the Hedge site. Rose Briggs carried on this tradition of meticulous research to the enduring benefit of local historic preservation. For many years, the Hedge garden was a living tribute to the Society members who acted to preserve Plymouth’s past.

Bringing the Garden Back to Life
To revive this worthy tribute, a team of specialists reviewed the variety of early garden plans prepared for the Society, none of which were ever implemented in their entirety. A new design based on elements of several 1920s plans has been created. Historic bricks from the old patio were saved to reuse in the new garden. The restored garden will encompass a brick terrace and a center area of formal geometric garden beds, bordered by brick pathways. It will introduce a stone embankment based on an original document, in addition to stone benches and modern lighting.

The Plymouth Antiquarian Society has successfully raised more than half of the $120,000 needed for the Rose Briggs Memorial Garden restoration, but additional support is essential to make the project a reality. The Society is offering select donors the opportunity to honor or memorialize cherished individuals, families or businesses while supporting this important project. A 12” x 12” granite block, 8” x 4” granite brick, or stone garden seat may be engraved with a name or dedication, and will become a lasting tribute to those you love and honor in a beautiful and historic setting. Your contribution to preserving Plymouth’s past will endure for generations in this verdant gathering place. Click here for information on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Please join this special preservation project by supporting the garden restoration as generously as you can!