Stop #6
Front Garden
The front porch of the Main House was a favorite space for gathering and entertaining. It overlooks the front lawn with its curved brick paths and formal garden design.
*Plantings included in Miss Harrison’s master plan
Native plant
Mountain Laurel
Kalmia latifolia
This native evergreen shrub with oblong leaves produces gorgeous light pink to white flowers. The five-sided, cuplike blooms grow in clusters. Blooming in April to May, the mountain laurel is notable for its unusual method of dispensing its pollen. As the flower grows, the filaments of its stamens are bent and brought into tension. When an insect lands on the flower, the tension is released, catapulting the pollen forcefully onto the insect.
Native Azalea
Rhododendron sp. (assorted varieties)
These deciduous native shrubs produce clusters of fragrant trumpet-shaped flowers with long, delicate stamens. The flowers range from yellow to light pink to orange in color and bloom in March and April before the leaves emerge. The native azalea is the official state wildflower of Georgia, and its vibrantly colored blooms attract many butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees.
President Clay Azalea*
Rhododendron indicum ‘President Claey’
This evergreen azalea is one of the most popular spring flowering shrubs. With bright green foliage, it can grow to heights of 10 feet with 8-foot spreads. This variety blooms in late February to March and produces large, long-lasting single flowers brightly colored in orange-red.
Southern Magnolia*
Magnolia grandiflora
This beautiful native evergreen can be found throughout Pebble Hill’s vast grounds. With broad dark green leaves, magnolia trees can be quite massive, growing up to 50 feet. Best known for their fragrant flowers, magnolias bloom in summer. They also bear a fruit cone with red berries late in the season.
Miss Harrison’s 1935 sketch of the front garden