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You are here: Home / Our Museums / Varnum House Museum / Varnum House Museum’s Period Herb Garden (sustained by the URI Master Gardeners)

Varnum House Museum’s Period Herb Garden (sustained by the URI Master Gardeners)

Colonial herb garden at the Varnum House Museum.
Colonial herb garden at the Varnum House Museum.

The Varnum House Museum Garden is a recreation of a historic dye, medicinal, and household garden using plants appropriate to the era of the house.  In 2011, the URI Master Gardeners created a garden using the existing brick work, walls, and boxwood hedges as a framework.  They researched plants and laid out the framework of the garden at that time. Each year, the Master Gardeners have added or refined our selection of plants.

In the dye garden, you will find Madder, Indigo, Russian Sage, Tansy, Marigolds, and Lady’s Bedstraw.  Medicinal plants include Betony, Cimicifuga Racemosa, Hyssop, Foxglove, and St. John’s Wort.  Household plants include herbs used for cooking but also for other uses.  Each plant has a function and would have served the household in different ways during Colonial times.

All the plants are self-sustaining, drought tolerant, and have survived with a good foundation and care.  Knock-out roses were added as a border to enhance the existing plantings and hedges.

Varnum House Garden
Varnum House Garden
Varnum House Garden
Varnum House Garden
Varnum House Garden
Varnum House Garden
Varnum House Garden
Varnum House Garden
Varnum House Garden
Varnum House Garden
Varnum House Garden
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Join the Varnum Continentals for $50!

At only $50 per person annually, membership keeps you in the Varnum loop and supports our efforts to preserve U.S. history and educate the public. Members get a monthly newsletter and can also attend our monthly dinner programs that feature authoritative and engaging speakers on historic and military topics. CLICK HERE TO JOIN NOW!



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We’re a private nonprofit organization receiving no state or federal funding. We depend on your donations to support out valuable work to preserve U.S. history and support our two museums. MAKE A DONATION TODAY!


[DEC. 12 DINNER MEETING] Speaker Greg Banner on The Halifax Disaster

December 3, 2022 By James Mitchell Varnum

In December 1917, a World War I ammunition ship blew up in Halifax Harbour, Nova Scotia. This massive event was listed as the largest man-made explosion in human history prior to atomic weapons and totally devastated the city. Thousands died. Our December speaker, Varnum Member Greg Banner, will describe the background, event, response, and results and discuss aspects of military, nautical, local, and emergency response history.

About the Varnum Continentals

The Varnum Continentals are committed to the preservation of the historic heritage of our community, our state, and our nation. Please take a virtual tour of our museums to learn more about our mission to encourage patriotism. You can participate with us through active membership and/or philanthropic support in our non-profit organization. Donations are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law. Museum tours are welcomed and our facilities may be rented for suitable events.

Our Mission

The Varnum Continentals are committed to encourage patriotism through the Varnum Armory Museum, the Continental Militia, and the James Mitchell Varnum House and thus to preserve, support, and communicate the military history of our community, our state, and our nation.

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