During Historic Garden Week on April 22, a group of experienced Tree Stewards led garden walks throughout the day at the Ben-Coolyn estate in Keswick. Large oaks surround the 1870s main house, built on the site of the original late 18th-century home of James Clark. The 145-acre farm is part of what was originally known as Clark’s Tract, which dates back to the 18,000-acre Meriwether Land Grant of 1730. The previous owners, Ann and Peter Taylor, spent several decades restoring and developing the park-like grounds and gardens. They created an arboretum in the old front hayfield, with hundreds of high and low canopy trees, and planted many native trees, including 176 willow oaks along the driveways as well as a vast array of deciduous flowering magnolia cultivars and crosses. Tree Stewards identified the major trees around the house and gardens and prepared this map of the trees nearest to the house. For other tree walks led by Charlottesville Area Tree Stewards, see “Take a Class or Tree Walk” on this website.
Here is a link to the Ben Coolyn Estate Tree Map.
