The Gardens
When the McFaddins moved into the home there were few shrubs or vegetation of any sort. Cow trails crossed the property as this area was still considered rural. Eventually, the cows were fenced in and individual plants were added to the grounds without attention to a cohesive landscape plan, common to early twentieth-century residences.
When the house transitioned to a museum in the 1980s, landscape planners referred to a 1940s landscape plan found in the museum's archives. At some point Ida and Mamie thought about significantly changing their grounds and hired a landscape architect to create something beautiful. That plan inspired the contemporary design. Some of the original garden elements remain, such as the rose garden located on the north side of the house, the historic oak trees located on the west side of the house, and the remnants of a rock garden adjacent to the oak trees.
Today, the gardens include 40,000 square feet of lawn and 20,000 square feet of flower beds. Four hundred azaleas bloom during March along with Daffodils, Irises, and other ornamental flowers. The Mamie McFaddin Ward DayLilies are located in the southeast corner of the property. This special hybrid was donated to the museum by Edgar Brown of Orange, Texas.
