“Beginning in the early 1990’s and through the 2000’s, the landscape architect Lalla Searle took on the revitalization of Shakespeare’s Head Garden as a project  that deeply resonated with her love of plants, their history and especially their capacity to bring joy to so many.  Through a series of phased projects in the 1990s, the structure of the garden and its plantings were transformed from a long neglected Colonial Revival garden to a vibrant plant centric, public oasis, using appropriate plants from the 17 and 1800’s. For  over 20 years, Lalla and a small volunteer crew worked on Saturday mornings to care and maintain the Garden.” – Colgate Searle

Since there is no information about the site prior to 1938, we do not know whether there was an early garden here when the house was built in 1772. The garden was designed in 1938 by the landscape architect, James Graham. It is the Colonial Revival style and reflects the era’s understanding of designing period gardens. Some of the stone walls may well predate the 1938 garden. In 1986, Lydia Jastram redesigned parts of the garden to simplify it and make it more usable by adding benches.

We now regard a historic garden as a continuum which reflects the changes made to it over time. Therefore there will be no drastic changes nor will the overly ornate qualities of the 1938 plan be reproduced exactly, even though the drawing exists. We will not tear out everything that is not authentic to the 1772 period. Basically, we intend to maintain the basic garden layout while fine-tuning the planting choices and growing conditions to reduce the maintenance burden and enhance the feeling of a Colonial era garden. For example, when replacing a dead or sick plant, we try to select a plant species appropriate to the late 1700’s, but it may be an improved variety which might be more disease resistant, shade tolerant, or not require staking. An important consideration is the amount of shade in the garden now because the trees have grown considerably since they were planted. As a result, we have had to cut some trees down in order to have enough light for the perennials to flower.

The general methodology for renovating the garden is as follows:

1. Prepare an accureately dimensioned base map to documnet existing conditions including identification of existing materials and photographic documentation.
2. Evaluate existing conditions to determine what changes are necessary or desirable. This should be done within the frameowrk of the overall means and objectives of the organization.
3. Based on the analysis, prepare a plan for short-term and long-term site imporvements and maintenance needs in keeping with available funds.
4. Prepare a planting plan and record plantings and other changes as they occur for future reference.
5. Develop sources of monetary and other support to ensure the continued well-being of the garden.

Thanks to a generous grant from the Champlin Foundations, we have been able to accomplish these tasks, including the rehabilitation of the quadrant beds at the lower level. The plant beds were temporarily emptied of plants, the loam was screened to remove the roots and weeds, and compost was added to increase the soil’s organic content before replanting the existing boxwood edging and new perennials. New cedar edging replaced the broken edging around the quadrant beds. A unobtrusive low-voltage lighting system was also installed for reasons of safety. Ongoing maintenance and plant replacement costs are covered by donations to the Barbara S. Gwynn Shakespeare’s Head Garden Fund, a fitting memorial to her many years of service in preservation activities.

Shakespeare’s Head Plant List

A partial list of the plants in the garden and their dates of documented usage. Note: names in parentheses are modern varieties of the older plant species

PERENNIALS AND ANNUALS

Written by Lalla Searle (d. 2012), provided to PPS by Colgate Searle, Jr. (2025)