File:Germantown Gardens and Gardeners (1914) (14789215693).jpg

Identifier: germantowngarden00jell (find matches)
Title: Germantown Gardens and Gardeners
Year: 1914 (1910s)
Authors: Jellett, Edwin C. (Edwin Costley), 1860-1929.
Subjects: Gardens -- Pennsylvania -- Germantown (Philadelphia). Germantown (Philadelphia, Pa.) -- Biography.
Publisher: Philadelphia: Horace F. McCann
Contributing Library: Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, McLean Library
Digitizing Sponsor: LYRASIS Members and Sloan Foundation

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ve American tree, but at this place first intro-duced to cultivation. The tree once had a diameter of fourfeet at six feet above the ground, and reached an elevation of46 feet. Its best days are now past, and it stands fast boundin misery and iron. Upon Wissahickon Avenue, directly opposite ManheimStreet, stands the residence of E. B. Gardette. We refer toit not on account of its gardens, and fine trees, but to state thatin Philadelphia here was first shown the love-apple, ortomato,—the plant originally being grown for decorative pur-poses, it being a member of the Night Shade Family, andsupposed to be deadly poisonous. At this same place it isalso recorded, that melons or canteloupes were first inAmerica grown, the seed being brought from Tripoli, byCommodore James Barron, who lived upon Main Street nearManheim Street. Across the fields from Gardettes may be seen uponIndian Queen Lane the stately front of Carlton. It is abeautiful mansion, surrounded by spacious, well kept grounds,
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67 but now its interests are chiefly historic. The mansion waserected after the Revolutionary War, and its most con-spicuous owner since the days of Henry Hill, was CorneliusSmith. Returning to Main Street, immediately above ManheimStreet, appears the garden of Joseph Shippen, after of CasparHeft. What it was originally we have no knowledge. Nowit is an elaborate, artificial, and to me, not a pleasing garden,but at least two of its trees are worth remembering, onethe Himalayan pine tree near the east front, the other thelarge buttonwood tree planted near the entrance gate byAndrew Garret, and this is mainly of interest, because AndrewGarret was after murdered. There is a mass of nonsense inprint concerning this tree. It is not the largest, nor thefinest buttonwood tree in Pennsylvania. It does not now,nor did it ever rank with the superb like specimen standingin Friends Burying Ground, upon Main Street, a plant whichis curiously overlooked. Germantown, it would appear, had a preferenc

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