Research Roundtable | Garden Updates for the Robert Mills Grounds

oin Historic Columbia for their monthly Research Roundtable from noon – 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 28.

While the Robert Mills House did not historically have formal gardens, the current landscape reflects the most probable design elements that would have been included by a landscape architect hired by the home’s original owner, Ainsley Hall. This scheme is rooted in the English Landscape designs that became popular in 18th century in England, which made its way to the United States and can be seen in the landscapes of estates such as George Washington’s Mt. Vernon and Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello. Inspired by the insistence of the Founding Fathers of the near exclusive use of native species in their landscapes, we have developed a Living Collections Policy for the Robert Mills house that seeks to employ plants native to the Eastern United States in all roles in the garden. This approach is entirely unique for the state of South Carolina, as it aims to fit native species into a well known and loved landscape design, without compromising structure or performance.

Participants are welcome to bring their lunch to this program. Tickets are free for members and $5 for non-members.