Typical colonial garden layouts included:
Square- and rectangular-shaped raised-beds framed with tree saplings. The shapes allowed gardeners to reach all plants in the gardening space.
Tightly packed rows to make the most of available space.
Hedges or picket fences surrounding the garden to protect plants from animals and damaging wind. Plant hedges were often used as a cheaper alternative to wooden fences.
Walkways created from soil, gravel, or crushed clamshells, and surrounding each bed
A larger, central walkway leading to the focal point in the garden that was usually a well or similar stone feature
Herbs used for cooking, medicine, and fragrance were mixed in with vegetable plantings. The only exception to this arrangement was for pungent herbs; these were separated from vegetables, hence, there were no true “herb gardens.” As gardens evolved, fruit trees were also slowly incorporated into the garden from outside edges to focal points in the center of the garden squares or rectangles. Larger vegetables such as snap or green beans, maize, and pumpkins were grown in large, outlying fields. Colonists took advantage of hills on their property and planted crops such as peas, lettuce, and radishes earlier in the season on southern-facing slopes to take advantage of the warmer soil.
Working-class colonists who lived in town on small, rectangular lots had gardens that were smaller in scale than those in rural areas. Colonists who were wealthy had more elaborate gardens. Layouts were formal with symmetrical gardens framing walkways. Wealthy landowners motivated changes in garden style since they had the resources and time to experiment with new arrangements.
Modern-day gardeners need to work with the size yard that they have and incorporate square- or rectangular-shaped beds that allow room for walkways and focal points such as wells, fountains, or seating. Keep the scale in proportion by including a few trees, but do not crowd the garden area. Lists of plant material that were grown by colonists are quite extensive. To develop a plant list for your garden, consult a book on colonial plants that contains descriptions of the plants, the genus and species, and examples of how plants were arranged in the garden. Some suggested BOOKS are listed below. A few of the books are out-of-print; consult your local library for a copy.