Heritage Gardens

The first section of the garden is the perennial beds around the museum building itself, which began in May 2001 and is still evolving.

The purpose of the perennial garden is to grow flowers that pioneers would have planted in the late 1800s. This includes the old-fashioned perennials such as peonies and hollyhocks, sometimes grown from seeds sent by relatives in England or ordered from seed catalogues.

Also included are some wildflowers domesticated from the forest such as the wild rose bush, and some herbs for medicinal use and for cooking.

A flower garden was an immense source of pride to settlers. When friends visited, they would be invited to walk in the garden, to smell the flowers, and share stories.

Flowers in the perennial garden include Sweet William, Primrose, Shasta Daisy, Daylily, Creeping Geranium, Cosmos, Iris, Blue Cornflower, Purple Coneflower, Wild Rose, Lilac, Peony, Foxglove, Mum, Sunflower, Hollyhock, Nasturtium and Bergamot.

The garden is always changing, so please visit often to enjoy the blooms.