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On a day which felt more like winter than spring, members of Kiawah Island Garden Club were treated to a tour of the largest public park in Charleston. Hampton Park is located near the Citadel in a quiet and pristine area of Charleston that is seldom visited by the crowds of visitors who can clog city streets during the tourist season. The park started life as a plantation in the 1700s, then became the site of a popular horse racing track and the location of a Civil War prisoner of war camp. According to an historic marker at the entrance to the park, on May 1, 1865, emancipated slaves and Unionists gathered at Hampton Park to honor the Union soldiers who died there. Some believe that this ceremony marked the beginning of Memorial Day,
Kate White of the Charleston Parks Conservancy led a special tour of the extensive greenhouses, as well as a circuit of the highlights of the park for the group. Hampton Park boasts the most extensive floral displays of any park in the city, tended by city employees and a large cadre of volunteers. At this time of year, the azaleas were lovely and seasonal flower beds, including early roses lent charm to the excursion. To prepare for the tour, the group had watched a film called “Designing America” about the life and work of Frederick Law Olmsted. The land was redesigned in 1903 by the Olmsted firm and the bones of the park, including the ponds, large trees and mature shrubs. Blooming peppermint peach trees were a favorite of the club members.
For more information about the park, including restrooms, parking and picnic tables, Google Hampton Park, SC. Learn more about the Kiawah Island Garden Club by visiting kiawahislandgardenclub.org.
