Tryon Palace – Stanly House Garden - The Sociable Adventurer

For one of the most quietly elegant gardens on the Tryon Palace grounds, the Stanly House Garden is a real treasure. Set in downtown New Bern, NC in Craven County, this carefully designed formal “Town Garden” reflects the 18th-century aesthetics that defined the broader Tryon Palace garden program — complementing the historic Georgian architecture of the Stanly House with measured beauty, period-appropriate plantings, and the kind of architectural touches that have made it a favorite among garden enthusiasts. 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 Formal “Town Garden” for a Georgian House

The Stanly House Garden is a thoughtfully designed example of a formal “Town Garden” — the term historically used for the smaller urban gardens that prominent 18th-century townspeople maintained alongside their homes. The garden was established in 1967, shortly after the Stanly House was relocated to its current site in 1966 as part of Tryon Palace’s broader preservation effort.

The result is a garden that genuinely complements the historic Georgian architecture of the Stanly House, designed with the kind of careful proportions and period sensibility that elevate both spaces. Walking through it, visitors get a vivid sense of how the prosperous merchants and citizens of 18th-century North Carolina lived alongside their carefully tended gardens.

Brick Walkways and Signature Boxwood Hedges

One of the garden’s most distinctive features is its network of brick walkways bordered by boxwood hedges — a signature element of Georgian garden design that gives the space its architectural skeleton. The boxwood hedges are arranged to avoid plantings directly against the house’s foundation, a deliberate design choice that protects the home and gives the architecture room to breathe within the broader composition.

What’s especially impressive is that the boxwood hedges flourish despite New Bern’s hot and humid summers — a testament to the careful selection of varieties and the skill of the Tryon Palace gardeners over the decades. The combination of brick paths and boxwood borders creates a garden that feels both intimate and architecturally precise.

Two Reproduction Summer Houses

A particularly beautiful feature of the Stanly House Garden is the pair of reproduction summer houses that provide shaded retreats within the formal layout. The summer houses were inspired by an 1862 drawing that documented the original Stanly House garden, giving them a real historical foundation rather than a purely decorative purpose.

Summer houses were a common feature of 18th- and 19th-century gardens, designed as small open-air structures where the household could gather, relax, and entertain in warm weather. The reproductions at the Stanly House Garden capture that same gentle, retreat-like character and offer visitors a welcome place to pause during a warm New Bern afternoon.

Heirloom Camellias and a Lily Fountain

The Stanly House Garden is filled with carefully chosen plantings that reflect the 18th- and 19th-century aesthetics of the Tryon Palace program. Heirloom camellias anchor the floral character of the space, contributing both architectural beauty and seasonal color. At the heart of the garden, a fountain surrounded by water lilies serves as a quiet focal point, with various wetland plants completing the composition around the water feature.

The combination of formal architecture, heirloom plantings, and the gentle sound of running water gives the Stanly House Garden a distinctly contemplative quality. It’s one of those spaces that genuinely rewards visitors who slow down enough to absorb it.

Good to Know

Style: Formal 18th-century-style “Town Garden”
Established: 1967 (the Stanly House itself was relocated to the current site in 1966)
Key features: Brick walkways, signature boxwood hedges, two reproduction summer houses, heirloom camellias, a fountain surrounded by water lilies, and wetland plants
Inspiration for summer houses: An 1862 drawing of the original garden
Design choice: Plantings avoid the house’s foundation — a deliberate Georgian touch
Open to the public: Self-guided tours included with a Tryon Palace pass
Best for: Garden enthusiasts, history lovers, photographers, and visitors looking for a peaceful 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 Stanly House Garden is the kind of stop that rewards visitors who appreciate the layered beauty of a well-designed historic landscape. The formal Georgian “Town Garden” design, the brick walkways and signature boxwood hedges, the two reproduction summer houses inspired by an 1862 drawing, the heirloom camellias, and the quiet centerpiece fountain with its water lilies all add up to one of the most thoughtfully composed gardens you can visit anywhere on the Tryon Palace grounds. Whether you’re a serious garden enthusiast, a history-lover with an eye for restoration details, or just looking for a peaceful retreat between Palace tours, this is one of the most rewarding stops you can make in Craven County.