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The King's Garden at Fort Ticonderoga
| The King’s Garden at Fort Ticonderoga is a one-acre
1920's era formal, ornamental flower garden. Marian Cruger Coffin, a leading landscape architect of the time, designed the garden for Sarah and Stephen Pell the couple who began the restoration of Fort Ticonderoga in 1909. The garden is located behind their summer home, the
Pavilion, and in the shadow of the Fort. The garden provided a restful gathering place for guests of the Pell family while they were in residence at the
Pavilion. It was not open to the public. |
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Coffin designed a garden that, when viewed from above, resembles the swirl of colors of a Turkish carpet. A mix of annuals, perennials, trees and shrubs provide an ever-changing display of color throughout the spring, summer and fall, with cool colors near the Pavilion and warm colors toward the Fort. Spring is a burst of color from giant oriental poppies, many colors of iris, lupines, pure yellow columbine, and meadow rue. Summer lights up with hollyhocks,
heliopsis, lavender, tickseed, lilies, globe thistle and roses. Fall brings
spirea, sedum, asters, and a rainbow of phlox.
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| Over the years, the Garden plantings changed from the Coffin plan, depending on the tastes of the occupants of the
Pavilion. After the death of Pell the garden fell into disrepair. In 1992 Fort Ticonderoga began the process to restore the garden to the Coffin plan. After nine years of restoration work the Garden officially re-opened in 2001 to the public. |
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Today a visit to the Garden is included with Fort Ticonderoga admission and is open to the public 10 am to 4 pm June
1 - October 13. Many adult and family programs and activities relating to horticulture and history take place in the garden during the open season.
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The name “The King’s Garden” first appeared on a British map of the garrison ground in 1759. The name referred to the military vegetable garden, or garrison garden. The
Pell's continued the use of the name when they constructed the 1920s era garden on the same site of the former garrison gardens. Read more about the historic and current demonstration
Garrison Garden.
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Contact Fort Ticonderoga to rent the King's Garden for private
functions.
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