The Bidwell House Museum’s extensive ornamental gardens are designed to showcase historical, native, and pollinator-friendly plants, as well as herbs used by 18th century settlers. The main garden bed highlights the shrubs and perennials common to New England gardens of the era.The Heritage Garden gives visitors a look at the likely design and crops the Bidwells would have grown to feed their family and many community members.The Museum plants vegetable varieties that were present in New England in the mid-18th century, including Hubbard True Green squash, Red Wethersfield onions and Blue Pod Capucijners peas.The Museum has also started a collection of heirloom apple varieties that originated in Massachusetts in the same period, including Hightop Sweet and Westfield-Seek-No-Further.The four-square layout of the garden would have reminded the Bidwells of English garden design, a feature that was common throughout New England at the time.
Berkshire Botanical Garden will host a field trip to the garden in Monterey, Massachusetts on Monday, August 20 from 9:30 – 12:30 pm. Transportation to and from BBG included in price and time. $35 for BBG members, $45 for nonmembers. Register at https://www.berkshirebotanical.org/events/new-england-heritage-gardens-offsite-field-study
Ruth Green owns Green Arts Gardens, specializing in organic landscape and edible garden design and installation. She is an accredited organic landscape care professional and holds a masters in landscape architecture. Ruth has been head gardener at the Bidwell Museum since 2009.
