Berdena Hart-Ward Kitchen Garden

The typical New England kitchen garden was an “herb garden”. The plants were primarily used for medicinal purposes, flavoring, curing and smoking meats, and for dyeing fabrics. They had to be hardy to withstand the severe New England winters and the limited attention of a busy housewife.

In 1966, The Glastonbury Garden Club commissioned historical garden designer Rudy Favretti to design a kitchen garden on the property of the Welles-Shipman-Ward house. The plants in the garden are those which would have been found in a typical garden in keeping with the 1775 period of the house. The garden was planted according to the original design by the members of The Glastonbury Garden Club and is maintained by its members. The plants and their locations in the garden are, for the most part, according to the original design. A few have been removed or replaced due to growing conditions and availability, although all are plants from the period.

 

The garden is used by the Historical Society for educational purposes.