Stop #3

Swimming Pool Area

Located on the east end of the Main House, the Swimming Pool was built in 1921. As noted in Elisabeth “Pansy” Ireland’s diary, water began filling the pool on May 1, 1921. Although Pansy took the first swim before the pool was fully filled, all went swimming on May 16, 1921.

Agave americana

The century plant has grey-green prickly thick leaves with a heavy spike at the tip of the plant. Even though this plant is called the century plant, it only lives 10 to 30 years and only flowers once in its life. At maturity, it produces a yellow stalk of flowers on a stem which can reach up to 20 feet. After flowering, the plant dies, and shoots surrounding it start to grow.

Century plant at east end of Main House circa 1930

Magnolia x soulangiana ‘Alexandrina’

This deciduous tree produces gorgeous pink blossoms before the leaves appear in late January to mid February. Also known as tulip magnolia, the saucer magnolia petals grow fairly upright, giving the flowers a distinctively tulip-like appearance. As the flowers age, the petals tend to open more and lay down, creating a more saucer-shaped flower.

Wisteria sinensis

This deciduous climbing vine from the pea family has interwoven stems and can be trained in a standard form (tree-form) or as a shrub. In early spring before the leaves appear, purple blooms with a grape-like fragrance cascade down from the stems of last year’s growth. Wisteria is common in old southern landscaping and can be found in many locations throughout the property.

Ilex vomitoria

This cluster of native evergreen yaupons is quite old. Yaupons have small, delicate leaves and produce clusters of petite white blooms in the spring. Female plants produce bright red berries that appear in December/January and are an important food source for many birds and mammals.