Old Fort Johnson



		Montgomery County Historical Society Colonial Garden Project
	The Montgomery County Historical Society is pleased to announce the development of our Colonial Garden Project. A new group of volunteers has been recruited to focus on the practice, lore, and history of colonial gardening. The immediate task to be tackled by the new group is the refurbishment and maintenance of the existing garden at Fort Johnson, the eighteenth-century home of Sir William Johnson, that is part of the Historical Society's museum, library and gift shop.

	While not an exact replica, the garden will maintain an authentic appearance, displaying many of the plants that would have been grown here in 1749. Ongoing improvements to the garden include the installation of a pedestal sundial a bench, boxwood hedges and recovery of the fieldstone walkway this past fall. In 2004 we hope to install several new trees, plus a host of perennials and herbs. Today, the new group of volunteers, called The Old Fort Gardeners, is researching the history and use of various plants and herbs in colonial New York, and planning new landscaping projects for the Society's grounds. They will also help to create seasonal decorations for the Annual Lawn Party and Holiday Open House using natural, traditional materials, and demonstrate gardening and use of herbs during our Colonial Day activities. The Society is seeking your assistance in this new and exciting endeavor. We are looking for: • Monetary donations to help purchase materials needed for maintenance. • Donations of herbs, perennials, other suitable plants, and seeds to use in the garden. • Garden tools, equipment, and landscaping materials. • More volunteers who can get involved with the garden project. No special skills or experience are required – just a love of gardening and an enthusiastic desire to learn about colonial gardening so we can help recreate history in as authentic and interesting a way as possible!

revised: Sunday, November 30, 2003