The Gardens

The Colonial Gardens at the Weeks Brick House

These gardens were functional — the concept of a “pretty” garden would have been alien to a woman of the 17th century. Plants were not in neat, even rows. Every inch of available space would be used, not only to yield as many herbs as possible, but also to act as a weed repellent. Sometimes small fruit trees were planted in these gardens. Because there was no order, every garden was different, planted according to the whims of the women of the household.

Every herb and plant fell into one of three categories: medicinal, household, or culinary. Often herbs and plants fell into multiple categories. For a complimentary Weeks Brick House & Gardens information sheet on colonial and modern-day herbs for culinary, medicinal, and household use, click here.

Enjoy these scenes from the garden

The herb gardens were restored according to the original garden plans. In addition, a small-scale WWII “Victory Garden” was planted, amplifying on a significant chapter of Isadore Smith’s life. The vegetable harvest was donated to a local food bank. In 2010 the gardens were featured on the Portsmouth Pocket Garden Tour. In the years since, the bountiful vegetable harvest of the Victory Garden continues to be donated to the local food bank. Want to be a garden volunteer? Contact us!

A history of the Weeks Brick House gardens

The Colonial-era gardens at the Weeks Brick House began as an effort to distinguish the Weeks Brick House from the many other historic homes and landmarks in the Portsmouth region. Katharine C. Weeks, herself a lifelong gardener as well as a writer on the subject, first suggested the idea. In the preface to her 1993 book, Gardening With New England Colonial Plants: Their History, Uses, & Culture, “Kitty” Weeks explained how the idea became a reality:

“In 1977, the late Isadore Smith (a.k.a. Ann Leighton), a noted author, lecturer, and designer of historic gardens, inspired me to learn more about the history and uses of colonial herbs and plants. After attending a lecture by Ms. Smith on colonial gardening, I asked her to assist with the planning of an authentic 18th-century housewife’s garden and orchard for the Weeks Brick House Association, a non-profit organization in Greenland, N.H. … To help differentiate the Weeks Brick House and provide a unique and educational reason for the public to visit, I suggested that the Association recreate an authentic New England colonial garden, which likely existed adjacent to the house in the 18th century. With Isadore Smith’s guidance, the garden was designed and planted in 1977. Nearly two decades later, members and friends of the Association still meet every spring to refurbish the garden with the same herbs and plants that thrived in the 1700s.”

The section below shows the original Weeks Brick House garden plan developed by Isadore Smith (Ann Leighton) in 1977. Kitty Weeks noted that “The Weeks Brick House colonial garden is laid out in three rectangular beds representing medicinal, culinary, and household herbs and plants. Although it was not common practice during colonial times to separate plants according to use, Mrs. Smith thought it would be easier for the public to find the plants if they were arranged in this manner. The layout of the garden with its three rectangular beds, vegetable garden, and orchard is a design which could have been used in a country garden during the colonial period.”

The 1977 Weeks Brick House garden plan

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