Oldal 271 [271]
OCR
HISTORIC GARDENS OF VIRGINIA day of Thomas Todd, emigrant. Guarded by an ancient willow tree, this graveyard contains as many tombstones as any family seat in Virginia; among these there is one dated 1703. In 1859, Thomas Tabb, son of Philip and Mary Mason Wythe-Booth-Tabb, moved to Texas and the property passed out of his family. In 1880 it was purchased by John Mott, of Long Island, the father of the present owner, Mr. William Mott. ‘The children of the latter have been born and brought up at Toddsbury, and they all love and appreciate the history and beauties of the old Colonial dwelling; it is to the kindness of Mrs. Mott that I am indebted for the sketches of the house and lawn. The garden was situated on the north side of the house and was much neglected before the days of the present owners, but there are descendants of the Tabbs who remember well its glories. It was surrounded by a brick wall not more than two and a half feet in height, and on top of this was a wooden railing, with a gate also of wood of pretty design. There is a similar wall and entrance in perfect preservation at Hickory Hill, Hanover County, the home of Mr. Henry Wickham. The garden, which was a rectangle in form, was divided by a centre walk and cross walks, making squares for vegetables surrounded by dwarf box hedges, and with narrow borders for flowers along the edges. In these borders were grown all of the early and late flowers of that period, and at the junction of the walks were planted large and small shrubs, making a diversion to the monotony of the borders and hedges. Just inside of the gate, and across the south side of the garden, was a broad walk with flowerborders on either hand inside of the box hedges. On the lawn were set out trees of various kinds, a very fine pecan and a black ash remaining to show the taste of the early owners. ANNE SEDDON RUTHERFOORD JOHNSON. [166]
