The Garden of the Pitot House

The garden of the Pitot House today is an interpretive one, featuring plants commonly used from the end of the eighteenth century until the early 1840’s.  Because Pitot House is not on its original site, it was not possible to do archeological exploration to determine aspects of the garden plan.

In 1803, diarist C. C. Robin described the house and gardens that he observed during his travels along Bayou St. John:

   “handsome houses of the countryside… varied form.  Some built of wood, surrounded by galleries, in the Chinese fashion, others built of brick and surmounted by a gallery in the Italian manner…  All of them have a garden in the front.  Avenues of magnificent orange trees can be seen.”

A description of the house and its garden when Mayor James Pitot and his family lived there, is found in an advertisement for the sale of the property in 1813.

     "FOR SALE. That handsome and agreeable situated Property, occupied by the Hon. James Pitot, on the Bayou St. John, consisting of about 30 superficial acres; and on which there is a large convenient and extremely pleasant dwelling house, and out houses, such as kitchen, servants houses and fowl houses, stable, carriage house and barn; all in the best order.  The garden is extensive and in good order… planted with choice fruit trees, 16 or 18 acres of the land is enclosed in meadow, and the remainder wood land.  For terms, which will be accommodating, apply to Judge Pitot on the premises or to CHEW & Relf, September 1^st."

The British blockage during the War of 1812 had ruined James Pitot’s import-export business, forcing him to sell property and become a tenant.  He became judge of the Parish Court, a position that he held until his death on November 4, 1831.  the family actually continued living in the house on the Bayou until 1819, when T. Mossy provided this advertisement describing the property:

     “1. A handsome country seat, situated on the bank of Bayou St. John near the bridge, the late residence of the Hon. James Pitot, consisting of a tract of land 200 feet front on the Bayou, running back 8 arpents, where it opens to the width of 470 feet, extending back 12 arpents, distributed over a flower and vegetable garden and an extensive meadow, the back land well supplied with wood.”

After the house sold in 1819, the Pitot family moved to a brick between posts house like the Pitot House at the corner of Bourbon and Hospital (Governor Nicholls) Streets.

The front garden of the Pitot House, with its geometric layout of walkways, is a kind of “parlor garden,” tended by the lady of the house and her servants.  With brick, shell or pebble walks, these gardens combined flowers, herbs, and some vegetables in the small triangular plots.  The date for the garden is the same as for the house, late 18^th century until the early 1840’s. Most of the Bayou St. John properties were working farms or plantations, with food being grown for consulption by the family.  There were few nurseries in the city.  Seeds were harvested and shared with friends and relatives.

Citrus orchards were a noteworthy feature along the bayou.  The two grapefruit trees in the center circles of the front parlor garden reflect the common use of citrus in the garden as a crop for use by the family. 

Roses were extremely fashionable and many varieties were grown in New Orleans gardens.  The formal beds feature Cramoisi Superieur, a china rose of 1832, Old Blush, a china rose of 1752, Archduke Charles, a china rose grown prior to 1837, and Souvenir de la Malmaison, a Bourbon Rose of 1843.  Dianthus, also called a “garden pink,” was a popular flower as were “gillyflowers,” a common name for the carnation, also a member of the dianthus family.  Complementing these fragrant flowers is the flowering tobacco or nicotiana. In warmer weather, varieties of marigold may be seen. 

Wildflowers found in nearby woods and meadows became part of the cultivated garden.  Among the wildflowers found in the garden are Lobelia cardinalis, violets, Gaillardia or Indian Blanket flower, Louisiana iris, columbine, rudbeckia, and purple coneflowers.  Camellias began to be imported into America in the late eighteenth century.  The two varieities in the Pitot House garden are Alba plena, 1798 and Chandeleur elegans, 1832.  Their companion plants of maidenhair fern and yarrow mixed with dianthus and in season with violas make a delightful combination.

There were probably more vegetables mixed with the flowers and herbs during the time of the period being portrayed. For practical reason, mainly the amount of labor and care to grow, the volunteers of the garden have not planted many vegetable in the formal beds.  There are some grown in the rear crop garden.  Herbs that would have been used for cooking and providing fragrance in the home are planted along with the flowers.  These include mint, Artemisia, basil, thyme, rosemary, pineapple sage, fragrant geraniums, and lavender.

In the rear of the Pitot House is a bed devoted primarily to cash crops such as sugar cane, cotton, tobacco and indigo.  Okra, seasonal vegetables including cabbage, squashes, sweet potatoes, peppers and beets are planted here.  Against the fence grows a squash called “luffa” which was used to clean dishes and pots, after it dried out.  Clumps of the shrubby vetiver plant are seen along the back fence.  The root of this plant was used to keep away insects in the home and provide a spicy fragrance.  The roots were often placed in bags and placed in armoires or drawers to keep insects away from linens and clothing.

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