In this episode of Palmetto Places, we join Joanna Angle as she tours Hartsville and Bishopville highlighting two very special gardens.
She shares the history of the Hart Plantation and how botanist Dr. William Chambers purchased the property and gave it to his sister-in-law, May Coker who had a dream of creating a public garden. With determination and few resources, her vision grew into Kalmia Garden named for the kalmia rhododendron which grew along the trails in the garden leading to Black Creek. Given to Coker College in memory of her husband, the 30-acre garden is owned and maintained by Coker College and continues to delight visitors.
Roughly 15 miles away in Bishopville, Pearl Fryer, SC's "Wizard of Topiary," discusses growing, cultivating and creating art with topiary plants. Pearl talks about using wire and PVC piping to create some of the shapes that he is trying to achieve and demonstrated how he teases shoots together to add center structure to extend the height of his creations.
From there, we visit the Atlantic Coastline Railroad station, built in 1908. Today the building serves both as a meeting place, and as an art gallery with permanent and rotating exhibits. One sculptor, Patz Fowle, discusses her art and unique visions of animals in funny, human situations.
The Jacob Kelly house in Hartsville began as a one-story house and gradually expanded into the plantation home we see today. The kitchen area was separate from the main home, to reduce fear of fire and re-enactor Thelma McKay Dudley joins Joanna Angle for a hearth-side cooking demonstration.
Lee State Park can be found between Hartsville and Bishopville. Covering nearly 3,000 acres, the park, which was developed by the CCC, the Civilian Conservation Corps, features many areas for hiking, picnicking and more.
Side Notes:
- Take a virtual tour of Kalmia Gardens. Explore the gardens
- The City of Hartsville maintains more than 130 acres of parks and green space in every part of the Hartsville community. To learn more about the Parks and Facilities in the City of Hartsville
- The area surrounding Hartsville was once home to several Native American tribes, including the Pee Dee, Catawba, Chicora, Edisto, Sane, and Chicora-Waccamaw, who inhabited the region until European settlers arrived.
