Thursday, July 4, 2013

Swift-Coles Historic Home...Tidewater Mansion

Happy 4th of July!

As mentioned in a previous post, this week I visited the Swift-Coles Historic Home.  I was married here a few years ago.  Click HERE to see the post.  My mother-in-law grew up here, until 8 I believe.  It has since been turned into a museum and the property is beautiful.  It is prettier in the fall, if you get an opportunity to click on the post.  I was married in late October.

 For more information on the house itself, click HERE.
 The place is dripping in Spanish moss.  It is located on Bon Secour (bay?)  Bon Secour mean safe harbor, I think it's where boats came in to protect them from storms...not the the best at local history, I am afraid.
 Path to the front door.  Canopied by oaks and hyrdrangeas on the sides.
Before the gate are planters with beautiful ferns.

Path along the fence.  This is where the bridal party marched.  I was married on the front porch.

These looked like pittosporum.

Grass path that goes around the house.

I married here.

The reason for the visit, was that a family heirloom was being returned from Chicago.  It was being donated to the home.

View from front door.

Above was a straight grassy path on the right, this is the path on the left.

Statue...I think this is a replication of Hera.

Some plants look like azaleas

Some looked like crape myrtles because of the bark

Hydrangeas

6 comments:

Jean Campbell said...

What a beautiful post for July 4. It's a lovely place. I like the grass paths most of all with the neat coping.

The Romanticist in me loves the mansion, the landscape, the proximity to the water and yes, the Spanish Moss a-hanging. My Pragmatist side wonders how much it costs to heat and cool such a place.

I had some Spanish Moss hanging off shepherd's hooks at the entrance to my Pumphouse garden. I think birds took it all in the spring for making nests.

debsgarden said...

Hi Janie, happy 4th! These old Southern style homes are among my favorite, and the Spanish moss transports them into the realm of ancient dreams. What a wonderful setting for a wedding! After I finish this comment I will click on your links for more details.

You asked about the plant with red stems. That is Hydrangea 'Lady in Red'. It has pink or red lace cap type blooms, similar to the variegated hydrangea in another picture. Whatever the initial color, the blooms all eventually turn a rosy color. This is one of my favorite hydrangeas!

Cerberus German shepherds said...

I am not sure, you would think a lot..but the museum where I volunteer has an old church constructed similarly..when giving tours it's surprisingly cool in there ...even in the dead of summer...not sure why...

Jean Campbell said...

The porches make a difference in cooling.

Janie, here is the final word on Crape Murder:

http://www.pollockandassociates.com/blog/landscape-maintenance/maintenance-101-two-ways-to-maintain-crape-myrtles/

Cerberus German shepherds said...

I think I understand. I do remember seeing the "knuckles" on pruned crape myrtles. In my case, I will probably just leave them. I have the luxury of tons of space, so they can get as big as they want.

Cerberus German shepherds said...

@Deb...I would have never guessed it be a hydrangea...I thought it was a poinsettia or agarista...I will have to look them up. I do love old southern plantation homes. When you are young, they seem a bit "staid" like magnolias, but as I age, I have a new found love.