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OAKLAND THE [THOMAS NELSON PAGE HOME wai land on which the Oakland garden was built Ee was granted by George I to the ancestors of the present owners in 1718. Famous Old Fork Church, within the walls of which Patrick Henry and Dolly ¥| Madison both worshipped before the Revolution, was built about 1704, just beyond the eastern boundary of this Nelson grant of ten thousand acres. The garden, however, did not come into existence until 1812, when it was laid off by General Nelson’s youngest daughter, Judith, the year the house was built. ‘he latter married her cousin, Captain Thomas Nelson, for many years Collector of the Port of Richmond, and with him came to live at Oakland. The grounds of this historic estate slope gently from the house in all directions and are bounded on the east and west by flowing streams. On the outer side of the western line, in a grove of noble trees, is one of the far-famed springs of this section of Virginia. In olden times, the Oakland yard and garden contained about four acres in all, surrounded by a substantial fence of cedar posts and square oak bars placed edgewise, with ends let into mortised posts, which were capped with squares of oak. Inside of this, a paling fence outlined the garden. This fence was flanked on the’ inner side by the pyr-acanthus whose thorns were a terror to barefoot boys, but whose radiant coral berries delighted all admirers of bright color. Among the berries, cardinals and thrushes, the latter then called ‘“‘sandy mockings,”’ delighted to disport themselves. The garden was in front of the house and occupied the southern slope as it declined gently until it reached the slightly rising ground [108 |
