A glimpse of Magnolia Gardens finds a home in nation’s capital
from Staff Reports
A landscape designer in Arlington, Vir., and a carpenter from Charleston, have built a miniature version of Magnolia Plantation and Gardens on display at the nation’s capital.
Jeff Minnich sketched the garden exhibit then thoughtfully installed plants alongside an artificial gator and two herons. Spanning it all is Charles “Chuck” McElhaney’s detailed replica of Magnolia’s iconic Long White Bridge. These pieces of America’s oldest garden, including a small black water pond, are compacted in a space no larger than a studio apartment.
This first-ever model of Magnolia is not alone near the entrance to the U.S. Botanic Garden at the base of the U.S. Capitol Building. It is one of 20 exhibits representing 21 gardens across the country assembled in time for the American Public Garden Association’s week-long conference that begins June 17 in Washington. “Thrive Together, Diversity Grows Gardens” is the conference theme.
Magnolia’s exhibit reflects diversity in culture and nature. Signage tells the story of the Drayton family, owners of the gardens for more than three centuries, and the enslaved Africans, who shaped a raw Charleston landscape on which the garden grows today.
Magnolia’s executive director Tom Johnson said, “We are very excited by the Botanic Garden’s invitation to be among some of the nation’s most prestigious gardens. This is truly a plus for Charleston, the state of South Carolina and the Drayton family. We look forward to having our garden display provide a glimpse of Magnolia to those who’ll see it at our nation’s capital.”
Minnich and McElhaney faced challenges to create a small display that best represents Magnolia. In such a limited space, Minnich said it was important to focus on detail “because every leaf and every plant is close up.” The display includes azaleas, live oak, bald cypress, Southern Magnolia, dwarf palms, oleander and sweetgrass that grows along oceanside dunes. Minnich, owner of Jeff Minnich Garden Design, said, “I want people to look at it and get a sense of what Magnolia looks like in coastal South Carolina.”
To depict the White Bridge’s sweeping arches, McElhaney adjusted his design to nestle the smaller bridge against a lush floral display. Enslaved people built the original bridge in the 1840s from cypress. McElhaney, a member of Magnolia’s maintenance staff, said he wanted the little bridge to be close to the original to carry on their tradition.
As recent rain clouds gave way to a bright sunny day in Washington, Cindy Donaldson of Rockville, Md., paused to admire the Magnolia exhibit. “It looks like the deep south,” she told her sister-in-law Donna Brandt. “I want to go see this garden,” said Brandt, who lives in Sellersville, Penn., a suburb of Philadelphia. She and her husband, David Brandt, plan to visit Magnolia this fall.
The garden displays will be in place until October. This is the second time in about a decade the Botanic Garden has celebrated U.S. gardens with a special exhibit, Devin Dotson, a USBG public affairs and exhibits specialist, said. “Our goal was to show visitors what makes these gardens special.”
As the summer heat cools, the Magnolia exhibit will take on a springtime look with late-blooming Encore Azaleas. Robert “Buddy” Lee hybridized the Encore. He is director of plant innovations for Plant Development Services, based in Loxley, AL. “We are absolutely thrilled that the Encore Azaleas are included in Magnolia’s display. Magnolia Plantation and Gardens has one of the largest and most extensive collections of Encore Azaleas in America. With this display in Washington visitors will truly see the beauty of Magnolia and the impressive horticultural legacy of coastal South Carolina.”
Magnolia Plantation & Gardens is located at 3550 Ashley River Road. For more information, call (843) 571-1266 or visit www.magnoliaplantation.com
