Gardens

The Majestic Harrison Oak

The Harrison Oak – sometimes called the “General Harrison” – has been designated as a historic tree by the America the Beautiful Fund.  It was also designated as the Millennium Landmark Tree in Indiana. Vine & Branch, Inc. has carefully trimmed and maintained the Harrison Oak tree for many years so it can continue to welcome guests to the beautiful Presidential Site.

Elizabeth Harrison Rose Garden

The Elizabeth Harrison Rose Garden located on the north side of the home offers brick pathways to walk through the period rose collection.

Freedom Gardens

The Freedom Garden is located on the northwest edge of the property and is anchored by serviceberry trees, boxwood shrubs and knockout roses.

Victorian Vintage Garden

A new grape arbor was constructed to support the original Concord Grapes that were planted on the property by the Harrison family when they resided here.

Caroline Harrison Herb Garden

The herb garden contains a variety of herbs identified by labels that tell the use of herbs in the Victorian Era.

Arbutus Garden

This garden plot, established and cared for by members of the Arbutus Garden Club, is especially beautiful in the spring with a show of tulips and Carlesii Viburnum.

Hoosier Harvest Vegetable Garden

Growing in the vegetable garden each season are vegetables that are picked from the garden and put on the table. In Harrison’s time, the garden would have been much larger and the produce preserved by canning.

Presidential Lilac Garden

This garden can be found on the southern-most border of the property, approximately 150 feet from the house, and features plants of pink, lavender, burgundy, blue and rose colors.

Grefsheim Spirea

These wonderful plants, appreciated by garden enthusiasts all over, cheerfully greet you at the front of the house. Upon closer inspection, the true beauty of the Grefsheim Spirea is revealed in breathtaking white flowers with bright white petals.

Historic Peony Project

We are proud to serve as a satellite location for a University of Michigan historic peony project.  Our gardeners have capably led this project of harvesting heritage (1800s) peony rhizomes for further beautification and authenticity of our Site gardens.

Hollyhocks

Tall hollyhocks stand stately on the property. This biennial plant flowers from mid-summer to late autumn.

Vintage Peonies

Vintage peonies form a lovely background to a limestone sculpture that was commissioned and won grand prize at the 1893 Columbian Exposition.

Herb Garden

A lonely foxglove stands erect in the herb garden. Digitalis provided by this plant acts as a cardiac tonic.

Irises

This planting of pale blue iris serves to connect the home with other gardens.

Thank You

A colorful thank you to the following community members, gardeners, gardening groups and foundations for supporting gardening initiatives at the Site.

• Arbutus Garden Club
• Broad Ripple Garden Club
• Dataflow Systems
• Helen Dickinson
• Dolly Dold
• Rosalie Fletcher
• Garfield Park Master Gardeners
• Janice Hannon
• Ken and Georgia Hottell
• Indianapolis Garden Club
• Jamia Jacobsen
• Marion County Master Gardener Association
• Janice Michael*
• Dick and Elizabeth Miller
• Nancy Morse
• The Principal Financial Group, in conjunction with National Garden Clubs, Inc.
• Merle Ritter
• Elizabeth and David Stevens
• Steve Thomas
• Vine & Branch, Inc.
• Estate of Anne K. Williams
• John W. Wynne Family Foundation

*deceased