Tryon Palace – Latham Garden

For one of the most beautiful and historically significant gardens on the Tryon Palace grounds, the Latham Garden is a real treasure. Set within the broader Palace complex in downtown New Bern, NC in Craven County, this serene and elegant two-acre garden is designed to reflect the timeless grace of 18th-century English gardens. Named for Maude Moore Latham — whose vision and generosity made the entire Tryon Palace restoration possible — the garden is both a meaningful tribute and a centerpiece of the Palace landscape. Be sure to check out the YouTube video and pictures below to get a feel for the garden before you go — or to relive the visit after.

A Two-Acre Tribute to Maude Moore Latham

The Latham Garden takes its name from Maude Moore Latham, the visionary North Carolinian whose critical role in funding the Tryon Palace restoration in the 1940s and 1950s made the entire reconstruction possible. Latham bequeathed both her own remarkable collection of decorative arts and significant funds to help bring the original Palace back to life, with her bequest contingent on the state of North Carolina matching her contribution — a powerful incentive that ultimately enabled the project to move forward.

Her preservation legacy continues through multiple parts of the Tryon Palace complex. Her decorative arts collection is now showcased in the Guion Gallery within the History Center, while her daughter, May Gordon Latham Kellenberger, continued the family’s preservation work alongside her husband John — honored today by the Kellenberger Garden on the same grounds.

18th-Century English Garden Design

The Latham Garden is designed to reflect the elegance and discipline of 18th-century English garden design — the same era that produced the original Tryon Palace itself. The result is a deeply intentional landscape that complements the architecture of the rebuilt Palace and gives visitors a vivid sense of what colonial-era formal gardens looked like at their most ambitious.

The two-acre scale gives the design room to breathe. The garden’s elements unfold across the space with a sense of measured grandeur, capturing both the formal symmetry of European garden tradition and the lush natural beauty that thrives in coastal North Carolina.

Manicured Parterres and a Central Fountain

The garden’s most distinctive features are its meticulously manicured parterres — geometric beds laid out in patterned arrangements that demonstrate the precise mathematical beauty of formal European garden design. Vibrant seasonal blooms fill those beds throughout the year, giving the garden a constantly shifting visual character that rewards return visits.

At the center of the garden is a beautifully designed central fountain that serves as the visual focal point — drawing the eye, providing the gentle sound of running water, and giving the entire space a sense of calm. The fountain is one of the most photographed features anywhere on the Tryon Palace grounds.

A Walled Garden Retreat

The Latham Garden is enclosed by brick walls and lush hedges, creating a true sense of garden retreat. The walled design echoes the way 18th-century English aristocrats designed their most prized formal gardens — as enclosed, private spaces meant for contemplation, conversation, and demonstration of horticultural artistry.

Today, that walled enclosure gives the garden a tranquil, almost meditative quality. Even on busy days at the Palace, the Latham Garden offers visitors a peaceful, quiet space to slow down and take in the layered beauty of one of the most carefully designed historic gardens in North Carolina.

Good to Know

• Size: Two acres
• Named for: Maude Moore Latham — visionary whose funding made the Tryon Palace restoration possible
• Family preservation legacy: Latham’s daughter, May Gordon Latham Kellenberger, continued the family’s preservation work alongside her husband, John (honored today by the Kellenberger Garden); Latham’s decorative arts collection is showcased in the Guion Gallery
• Style: 18th-century English garden design
• Key features: Meticulously manicured parterres, vibrant seasonal blooms, a central fountain, enclosed brick walls, and lush hedges
• Best for: Garden enthusiasts, history lovers, photographers, and visitors looking for a tranquil retreat
• Pair with: Our magnificent gardens guide and the list of gardens for a fuller look at the broader Tryon Palace garden complex
• Located on the Tryon Palace grounds in downtown New Bern, NC

A Tryon Palace Highlight

The Latham Garden is the kind of stop that rewards visitors who appreciate the layered stories behind a great historic landscape. The two-acre scale, the elegant 18th-century English design, the meticulously maintained parterres, the central fountain that anchors the entire composition, the walled-garden retreat character, and the meaningful tribute to Maude Moore Latham’s visionary contributions to the broader Tryon Palace restoration all add up to one of the most magnificent gardens you can visit anywhere on the Palace grounds. Whether you’re a serious garden enthusiast, a history-lover with an eye for restoration stories, or just looking for a peaceful moment between Palace tours, this is one of the most rewarding stops you can make in Craven County.

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Resources

Tryon Palace – Latham Garden Webpage

Tryon Palace Facebook

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