Gardens

Landscape gardening remained a keystone of Ridgely activity at Hampton
throughout the family's occupancy. Because Hampton was cut from the wilder-
ness, clearance of the land took precedence during the early development of
the grounds. Yet even before the construction of the Mansion, Captain
Charles Ridgely operated a large agricultural plantation, including by 1773 an orchard
of at least 722 apple trees.

During the period that the Mansion was being built from 1783 to 1790, numerous
gardeners were employed. Some specimen trees, usually native material, were planted,
but it was not until the late 1790s that Hampton's falling garden of descending terraces
was constructed.

The Cedar of Lebanon which ornaments the south lawn was imported as a small seedling and planted
by Eliza Ridgely, c.1840. It is now one of the largest in America.

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