Terrace & Gardens

The south side porch provides an overview of the grounds, showing the formal boxwood parterre, the central pergola, and garden walkways. The garden you see today has been restored to the period of the Jones residence. In 2018 more than 300 new rose bushes and over 600 boxwoods were planted to restore the parterre rose garden. A diagram of the rose garden is available on our website, and as a hand out from the front desk.

The garden was important to each of the resident families. William Rotch, Jr. wrote to his grandson Benjamin not long after moving in:

I enjoy our new habitation…very much, the delightful air & sea prospects is more gratifying than I anticipated; and I feel much weaned from the daily mixing, with company, which was little interesting, and I find a good deal of employment in arranging the Garden, planting Trees.

During the Jones era, the gardens included a grapery, the abundant produce of which was widely distributed to family and friends for years. The Duffs hired Boston landscape architect Mrs. John Coolidge to create a formal plan for the grounds, which included green gardens, ornamental beds of tulips, reflecting pools and walkways. Beatrice Duff was an active member of both the Garden Club of Buzzards Bay (GCBB) and the New Bedford Garden Club. The GCBB is now an active partner with the Museum, maintaining the boxwood varietal garden, and using the greenhouse.