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"... nowhere in all
America will you find more patrician-like
houses; parks and gardens more opulent, than
in New Bedford... all these brave houses and
flowery gardens... "
Herman Melville
Moby-Dick |
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The Rotch-Jones-Duff
House & Garden Museum
396 County Street
New Bedford, MA 02740
(508) 997-1401
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About Us | The Gardens
 In 1834, William Rotch, Jr. built his Greek Revival house at
396 County Street. Up the hill and away from the noise and
bustle of the port below, he positioned the house on the
north side of the property to allow for expansive gardens
with a southern exposure. Although there are no documented
garden plans from the Rotch tenure, we know that his gardens
were both useful and ornamental. A founding member of the
New Bedford Horticultural Society, records show that Mr.
Rotch, with the assistance of his Irish gardener William
Howard, submitted fruits, vegetables and flowers to their
exhibitions. His special interest was the cultivation of
pears, which the people of New Bedford referred to as their
“standard fruit.” William Rotch shared his horticultural
interests with his son-in-law James Arnold, benefactor of
the Arnold Arboretum.
The current landscape of the property is more closely
aligned with the Jones period of stewardship (1851 -1935).
The pergola, situated at the main axis of the ornamental
gardens, is a typical Victorian convention. Photographs of
the garden from the latter part of the 19th century capture
the boxwood rose parterre beds with tall calla lilies and
the pergola laden with vines. Favored flowering plants of
the period filled the gardens including hollyhocks, numerous
rose varieties and wisteria.
When the Duffs took up residence in 1936, they contracted
the services of Mrs. John Coolidge, a Boston landscape
architect. Utilizing much of the current design, Mrs.
Coolidge created a new plan for the landscape with
ornamental beds, reflecting pools and graceful walkways.
Over 7,000 tulip bulbs were planted during the Duff tenure.
 Today elements of all three residencies remain. A formal
boxwood rose parterre garden, a boxwood specimen garden,
cutting garden and award winning Woodland Walk surround the
19th century wooden lattice pergola. The Garden Club of
Buzzards Bay utilizes the Woodland Garden to introduce
fourth graders to habitat, plant identification and
propagation.
A historic recreation of a wooden apiary serves as the
Garden Education Center for the fifth grade
Apiary Program
and offers exhibits related to pollination and beekeeping.
The program utilizes this unique urban garden setting to
introduce students to the important role of the honey bee,
gardening techniques, conservation practices, bee-keeping
operations and the interdependency of the environment in
plant and food production.
Ongoing restoration of the rose garden was initiated in1996.
The ambiance of the gardens provides a unique setting for
the annual James Arnold Garden Symposium, summer concerts,
programs, weddings and special events. |
