Garden name:Tennessee Agricultural Museum Heirloom Garden

Location: 404 Hogan Rd., Nashville 37220. The garden is to the left (west) of the museum entrance when standing in the parking lot.

What grows here: The plot contains notable varieties of heirloom (old cultivar) vegetables, including Cherokee Trail of Tears Beans, Lazy Housewife Beans, and Martha Washington asparagus.

What’s special about this place: The garden is outside at the Tennessee Agricultural Museum, which is a free collection of more than 3,000 artifacts related to pre-electricity Tennessee rural life. The museum, which is open 9 a.m.- 4p.m. Monday-Friday, contains exhibits that discuss how technology and farm labor changed over time. The heirloom garden connects to this educational work, showing people what kinds of plants would have be grown here in the past and helping visitors experience the wonders of gardening. The museum hosts children’s field trips where students are welcome to use a push-plow through the garden to learn about early farm chores and household plots.

What you need to know about volunteering here: This is a small, fenced-in plot. A mask is suggested when social distancing is not possible.

Contact: Kay Gragg is leader for this garden.  She can be reached at kaygragg@att.net or (615) 337-6567.

What else should you see when you are here: The Ellington Agricultural Center is a beautiful, mammoth site with walking trails, museums, horse barns and more. It is home to the Demonstration & Educational Gardens, which is also maintained by Master Gardeners of Davidson County. There’s also an Iris Garden maintained by the Middle Tennessee Iris Society.


©2023 Master Gardeners of Davidson County All Rights Reserved. NOTICE: Trade and brand names are used only for information. Tennessee Extension does not guarantee nor warrant the standard of any product mentioned; neither does it imply approval of any product to the exclusion of others which also may be suitable. Programs in agriculture and natural resources, 4-H youth development, family and consumer sciences, and resource development. University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture and county governments cooperating. Tennessee Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment.

Powered by Wild Apricot Membership Software