Old Town in Alexandria, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
The Garden Past and Present
Photographed by Allen C. Browne, December 6, 2009
1. The Garden — Past and Present Marker
1. The garden that you see today is conjectural. No detailed information exists about the design of John Carlyle's garden though Carlyle's 1780 estate inventory together with other documentary evidence indicates that he had one on this site. It is probable that the garden was located here, to the rear of the house, with a good southeast exposure and out of the way of the foot traffic between outbuildings.
2. The terrace was added to the rear of the house in the mid-19th century by James Green, resident from 1848 to 1880 as seen in this circa 1920 view. Under the terrace are two storage cellars.
Today, both a formal, geometric and an informal plan garden in the 18th-century style have been planted. Typically, an 18th-century garden would have contained not only ornamentals, but also fruits and vegetables, although only ornamentals are planted today. Plant materials used in this rear garden are not necessarily 18th-century species.
2. Sample formal garden plan from New Principles of Gardening by Batty Langley, London 1728 From the 1971 reprint courtesy of Gregg International Surrey, England.
Topics. This historical
this page online
Location. Marker is missing. It was located near 38° 48.31′ N, 77° 2.5′ W. Marker was in Alexandria, Virginia. It was in Old Town. It could be reached from North Fairfax Street. This marker was in the rear garden of Carlyle House. Touch for map. Marker was at or near this postal address: 121 North Fairfax Street, Alexandria VA 22314, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker was in the Washington Metropolitan Area and in Northern Virginia. It was also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, in the Mid-Atlantic, and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it was in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it found itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this location: A Very Different View: Living and Working in 1700s Alexandria
Photographed by Allen C. Browne, December 6, 2009
2. Carlyle House
From the Garden
From the Garden
Other markers no longer nearby. The Braddock Campaign and Carlyle House (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been reported to have been replaced with another marker now near it); The Carlyle House and the 18th-Century Site (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it).
Library of Congress
3. The Garden
This photo of Carlyle House, taken sometime between 1920 and 1950 by Theodor Horydczak, shows the garden as it existed at that time.
Photographed by J. Makali Bruton, March 8, 2025
4. The Garden Past and Present Marker Missing
Credits. This page was last revised on March 9, 2025. It was originally submitted on April 15, 2021, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. This page has been viewed 302 times since then and 8 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on April 15, 2021, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. 4. submitted on March 8, 2025, by J. Makali Bruton of Washington, District of Columbia. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.
