Middleton Place
National Historic Landmark · Charleston, South Carolina
Sixty-five acres of formal garden on the Ashley River, laid out from 1741 in the grand European manner of a century earlier — terraced greens, butterfly-shaped lakes, allées and reflecting canals, all of it geometry rather than planting. It is the oldest landscaped garden in the United States. Sherman's troops burned the main house in 1865 and only a flanker survived, which is why the garden is the destination and the building is a footnote — an inversion that makes this the most unusual of the Ashley River properties.
4300 Ashley River Road, Charleston, South Carolina, 29414, United States
Open daily, generally 9 AM to 5 PM, year round, closed on a small number of major holidays. The garden is self-guided; THE HOUSE MUSEUM IS A SEPARATE GUIDED TOUR at set times with a supplement. ⚠ FEBRUARY TO APRIL IS THE FLOWERING SEASON AND THE BUSIEST TIME — spring weekends fill the car park, so arrive at opening. There is no glasshouse and almost no indoor shelter. Combination tickets with the other Ashley River properties are available and are better value.