Gardens

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The Cassina Garden Club grounds are located at Gascoigne Bluff on the Frederica River. The club’s two historic slave cabins are the focal point of this interesting site. The history of these cabins and how the Club came to own this beautiful one-half acre piece of property are explained in more detail in “History.” The historical beauty of these cabins continues to be enhanced by their native gardens, which are planted, maintained and cared for by Cassina members.

The basic design for the Cassina gardens was adopted by the club in the 1950’s. Although not typical of a garden found at slave cabin sites, which would have consisted primarily of vegetables and dirt paths, the design offers an opportunity for the members to create an appealing space of native and historical plantings.

Instead of grouping the plantings by name, each of the four garden sections has an eclectic mixture of herbs, native plants, antique roses and colorful flowers and bushes to attract butterflies. Among the native plants are cotton, peanuts, indigo, okra, rattlebush, feverweed, and gourds. Herbs such as lavender, sage, rosemary, chives, fennel and thyme are spaced throughout the gardens. Antique roses such as Mutabilis, Old Blush and Spice are the center anchor in each plot.

Additional plantings on the grounds include a day lily garden and a Crinum lily and an azalea memorial garden honoring deceased Cassina members. An arbor supporting both Scuppernong and Muscadine grape vines as well as the old rose climbers, Jaune Despres, completes the front view of the cabins. Cherokee Roses, the official flower of the State of Georgia, climb the trunks of the majestic oaks along the riverbank.

Immediately adjacent to the Cassina cabins is the State Champion Southern Red cedar Tree (Juniperus virginiana). When this tree was last officially measured in the early 2000’s, this cedar measured more than 15 ½ feet in circumference. A recent informal measurement now places the circumference at about 16 ½ feet. Cassina adopted this tree several years ago and carefully looks after its care and preservation. Cassina has provided signage so that the grandeur of this tree may be shared with visitors to the Cassina Cabins and grounds.

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