Atwood House

Atwood House

The Chatham Historical Society’s centerpiece is the Atwood House dating from circa 1752.  The original gambrel roof house is a definitive example of Cape Cod homes that dotted the landscape in the late 17th century.  Museum galleries and exhibits have been added to the Atwood House over time, including the herb garden in 1975 as a memorial and bicentennial project.  This garden is tended by Chatham Garden Club volunteers and contains herbs that were commonly grown in colonial times. 

The design of the garden is Colonial Revival, and it is structured as a square courtyard nestled close to the house.  The rectilinear beds are neat and trim, easily accessible by brick pathways with a sundial in the center.  The aromatic herb garden is a sensual delight for visitors and includes golden oregano, chives and lemon thyme. The garden features beautiful pastel colors from purple lavender, nepeta and germander.  From early summer to fall the attractive star-shaped flowers of borage and plumes of rosemary add texture and attract the melodious sound of pollinators.

Representative Plant List                                                                                                    Attracts Pollinators

Borage                                                                                                                                                x

Purple Lavender                                                                                                                               x

Germander                                                                                                                                        x

Lemon Balm                                                                                                                                      x

Rosemary                                                                                                                                           x

Foxglove                                                                                                                                             x

Nepeta                                                                                                                                                x

Anemone                                                                                                                                            x

Tansy                                                                                                                                                   x

Siberian Iris                                                                                                                                        x

Bearded Iris                                                                                                                                        x

Santolina                                                                                                                                             x

Thyme                                                                                                                                                 x

Chives                                                                                                                                                  x

Oregano                                                                                                                                              x