WTGC Visits the Gardens of Andalusia
- Lynn Grillo
- 4 hours ago
- 4 min read
Story by Lynn Grillo, photos by Jeff Tryon
On Thursday, August 27, a dozen West Trenton Garden Club members and family members crossed the Delaware for a morning exploring the beautiful gardens of Andalusia Historic House, Gardens & Arboretum in nearby Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
The weather forecast had been iffy, with thundershowers predicted throughout the day. That morning, however, Mother Nature seemed to be smiling upon us. The weather was fair as we gathered for our carpool, and we began to think the rain might hold off until the afternoon.
A Garden with More Than Two Centuries of History
Set on a wooded promontory overlooking the Delaware River, Andalusia has been the ancestral home of the Biddle family for generations. The property's story began in 1795, when Philadelphia merchant John Craig purchased a 100-acre country estate and named it Andalusia, reflecting his business connections with Spain and the Spanish colonies. His daughter Jane and her husband, Nicholas Biddle, later transformed the property into the country estate known today.
The Big House, an outstanding example of Greek Revival architecture, is the architectural centerpiece of the property. For gardeners, however, Andalusia's surrounding landscape provides a history every bit as fascinating.
Generations of the Biddle family shaped and reshaped the gardens. Letitia Glenn Biddle was an accomplished horticulturist who hosted the first meeting of the Garden Club of Philadelphia at Andalusia in 1904. In 1913, she and other women gathered on the property to draft the bylaws establishing the Garden Club of America.
Her grandson James "Jimmy" Biddle continued the family's horticultural tradition, developing the Green Walk and creating the White Garden. Another major chapter began in 2017–18, when noted British landscape designer Arabella Lennox-Boyd updated the gardens, adding thousands of trees, shrubs, roses and perennials while building upon the character established by earlier generations.
Our Tour Begins
Our 10:00 a.m. visit began with a warm welcome from Andalusia Executive Director John Vick and our tour guide, horticulturist Jackson Barnette. Mr. Vick provided everyone with a printed copy of Andalusia's gorgeous hand-painted map of the grounds, and then we set off with Jackson for our garden tour.
We could hardly have asked for a more knowledgeable guide. As we made our way through the property, Jackson shared insights into the plants, the history of the gardens and the thinking behind their design, while handily answering our steady stream of gardening questions.
The approximately hour-long tour took us through many of Andalusia's distinctive garden spaces, including the White Garden, Rondel, Green Walk, Father's Garden, Conifer Border, Graperies, Rose Garden, Peony Walk, Gold Garden, Long Border, Easter Garden and Woodland Walk, as well as special places such as the charming Pet Cemetery.
At the Graperies, Jackson explained how the walls surrounding the garden helped create a warmer, protected microclimate that made it possible to grow grapes there. Nicholas Biddle had graperies constructed at Andalusia during the 1830s, and a reconstructed wood-framed grapery recalls this chapter in the estate's horticultural history.
We also enjoyed an unexpected treat in the Rose Garden, where we encountered one of Andalusia's rosarians tending the plants. She paused to share some fascinating stories about the collection, including the challenge of preserving and identifying "lost" varieties of roses whose histories can be difficult to trace. It was exactly the sort of chance encounter that makes a visit to a working garden especially rewarding.
A Little Time to Explore
When our guided tour ended, we were free to wander the grounds on our own. Some members made their way toward the front of the Big House, with its sweeping view toward the Delaware River, while others went in search of the Dollhouse, a delightful ornamental playhouse created for the Biddle children. With its fanciful Gothic details, lattice-covered interior and child-sized charm, the little building feels like something from a storybook.
About 15 minutes later, Mother Nature apparently decided our reprieve had lasted long enough. The skies opened and the promised rain arrived in a deluge! Umbrellas came out, hats went on, and we headed toward our cars through the downpour. With the temperature still warm, even the rain felt like part of the day's adventure. We had enjoyed our entire tour in fair weather and even had a little extra time to explore before the storm arrived.
Most of us had our phones out throughout the morning, snapping pictures of plants, garden views and one another as we traveled along the paths. For this gallery, we're featuring the photographs of WTGC member and professional photographer Jeff Tryon, whose images capture some of the plants, places and details that made our morning at Andalusia so memorable.
Our visit offered a wonderful glimpse into a landscape shaped by generations of gardeners. From historic trees and old garden walls to roses with stories of their own, colorful borders, quiet woodland paths and a charming Dollhouse, Andalusia gave us plenty to admire, photograph and talk about on the ride home.
Enjoy these photos!
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