Aiken -- Rose Hill (SC)

Rose Hill was the estate of Sheffield and Claudia (nee Lea) Phelps. The 4.14 acre estate encompasses an entire city block at one of the highest points in Aiken, South Carolina. It was built as a winter retreat for the Phelps family of Teaneck, New Jersey on the site of an antebellum plantation that had burned. Aiken is situated in the western sand hills of South Carolina, a high sandy ridge situated across the midlands of the State. It is known for its sandy, rapidly draining soil and thus a lower annual humidity compared to other areas in South Carolina. The sandy soil also provides excellent footing for equestrian pursuits. Due to its favorable climate, Aiken became a health and sporting retreat in the late 1800s to early 1900s and thus a "Winter Colony" of wealthy Northerners was formed. Those that could afford a second home would build estates that were typical of the English Country aesthetic with pleasure grounds having both formal and woodland areas using native trees and shrubs as well as exotic ornamentals that looked as if they naturally belonged. Mrs. Phelps designed her garden after the house was constructed in 1901. The front half of the property includes the home, the garden and a former tennis court; the back half was the working portion of the property with a large stable, dog kennel, carriage house and dependency cottages. Claudia Phelps was both a gardener and keen plant collector. She sourced plants from around the globe through familial connections, her travels abroad and through trade with fellow gardeners. Fruitlands Nursery in Augusta, Georgia, now the home of the Augusta National, was a local source for many of the plants at Rose Hill. Mrs. Phelps was a highly regarded Camellia japonica collector and Rose Hill has many old varieties that one does not typically see in the large retail garden centers. She produced a pamphlet on camellia cultivation and kept detailed lists of her collection. Her botanical book collection was donated to the Thomas Cooper Library of the University of South Carolina. Most notable in the collection were the rare books about camellias. The garden demonstrates strong axes with hedges of cherry laurel and azaleas that line the garden paths. The pathways lead to water features and a summer tea cottage. Situated between the walkways are expanses of lawn that are dotted with ornamentals especially winter blooming plants like camellias and native azaleas. She made use of the iron cemented sandstone that is unique to the sand hills region. It is frequently found in old Aiken gardens. She used it to edge pathways and beds, to build seating areas, pediments, fountains, planters, and pond edging. The former tennis courts were converted by Mrs. Phelps first to a boxwood maze and then later to a lawn with a brick gazebo in the center. Legend recounts that the tennis court encouraged too much drinking and gambling so she converted the court into a garden area and placed a gazebo in the center. In 1924, Mrs. Phelps invited 24 women to Rose Hill to form the Garden Club of Aiken, South Carolina's first garden club. In 1930, she would go on to help found the Garden Club of South Carolina and would be elected its first president and only lifetime president. She patterned many of the endeavors of the Garden Club of Aiken after those of the Garden Club of America. The Rose Hill garden fell into considerable neglect in the late 1980s. Using garden notes from Mrs. Phelps' lead gardener, her great-granddaughter, Stephanie Wilds, was able to return the garden to much of its original layout. Today Rose Hill retains many relics that were described in the 1935 book, Carolina Gardens, by E.T.H. Shaffer. He remarks that Mrs. Phelps beautifully combines plants native to South Carolina, the Southeast and those from far off places. Mrs. Phelps died in 1955. Her daughter, Claudia Lea Phelps, also an active member of the Garden Club of Aiken and the Garden Club of South Carolina, lived at the property her entire life. She died in 1974. Rose Hill is a private property that has operated as an inn and events facility for the past twenty years. Persons associated with the garden's design: Claudia Phelps (nee Lea) (plant collector, designer, gardener, 1898-1955); Claudia Lea Phelps (gardener, 1924-1974); Stephanie Wilds (gardener, 1991-2003).