Amelia Island Williams House registered botanical arboretum

As you walk into the Williams House there old photographs from bygone eras encasing the walls. In each photograph stands the same beautiful house adorned by distinctively different landscapes. Throughout these different generations common elements such as the massive oak and magnolia trees persisted and evolved into the foundation of this beautiful property. There is a patinated cast iron fence that remains completely untouched despite existing through several wars that summoned all available metal to be turned into necessities of war. 

It feels different to put a shovel in this ground. 

To think of the memories (the endless hours spent toiling in these gardens, ice tea and lemonade sipped on the porch and conversations had with the neighbors who helped found this area) puts into perspective how we are all just small parts of the bigger picture of life. We approached this project with respect for every element of its story. We chose a classical plant pallet that could have very well been used when the house was built. We also saved and reused elements that survived several generations of new landscapes to serve as a common thread between old and new. 

Quintessential Victorian era landscape architecture was marked by using specimens accented by formal foundational plants similar to botanical gardens and arboretums. This naturalistic style and approach lended seamlessly to Bluebird Growers signature style. Our design gives this garden a sense of purpose and beauty, inviting guests to meander and enjoy the period appropriate plants presented in a botanical garden setting. 

After 165 years nearly every cubic inch of soil in garden is occupied by roots. With 2 massive oak trees and a pair of ancient magnolias, our clients garden fought us every step of the way. When we first started planning this project we knew we wanted to take the landscape in a different direction and that meant tearing out decades worth of landscaping. We kept and reused what we could, but eventually filled 2 large dump trucks with debris including endless piles of invasive Mexican petunia. Once we had a clean slate we did what we love to do: soil amendment. By amending the soil with several tons of mushroom compost and composted wood bark we gave this garden the foundational building blocks for success. 

Brick by brick, we relayed the brick pathway creating a new garden bed that we filled with an ancient Rhode Island Red Japanese Maple, Encore Azaleas, a large bush form Japanese Magnolia and 2 different species of Camellias. 

A beautiful rose garden and a Red Dragon Maple was laid in the space we reclaimed from the Mexican petunia. When we designed the rose garden, we chose several roses that represented the different generations that lived at the Williams house. 

We chose to accent the low front porch with Florida friendly lightly planted groupings of dwarf camellias, azaleas, Cepholotaxus prostrata and chocolate Loropetalum. And in an ode to our area, we tucked in a beautiful native Chickasaw Plum specimen (that blooms the most beautifully tiny white flowers) in front of a climbing rose trellis featuring an antique rose that was introduced the same year the Williams house was built. Every aspect of this project fused the past with the present. 

We overhauled the landscape around the secondary Hearthstone House with a simple pallet of dwarf podocarpus, azaleas, loropetalum and a stunning green Japanese Maple. We then outlined the entire yard with a natural privacy hedge of dwarf podocarpus hedge and balanced the formality with an abundant butterfly garden that welcomes pollinators every day. As guests check in on the crushed granite sidewalk, they are greeted with the scent of salvias and fluttering butterflies! 

We had an important task to do but with the Innskeeper, Veronica, kindness, enthusiasm and trust in our vision we were able to create a truly unique design together. The Williams House garden will undoubtedly continue to bloom into a balanced yet intriguing Victorian garden; one that merges the past with the present. 

You can read more about our accreditation here!