Historic Landscapes

Andre Michaux

As a result of the Age of Enlightenment, in the eighteenth century, a number of European countries sent botanists to America for both exploration and to send back specimens of the flora and fauna from the low country.
Andre Michaux, a French explorer and botanist had been commissioned by the King of France to explore and develop a botanical garden.

To the left is the Rhododendron, which was introduced by Michaux to the Low country.

The first botanical garden established by Michaux was in New York but the climate proved too harsh. In 1786, he relocated to Charleston to take advantage of its more temperate climate and it's prominence as one of the horticultural centers in North America.

Michaux rented a house in Goose Creek along with 111 acres of land that was to prove both economical and productive for his horticulture and botanical work.

To the right is a letter from The Drayton Papers Collection from Andre Michaux to Charles Drayton.

Property maps have revealed that Michaux 's French Botanical Garden was adjacent to property owned by Charles Drayton.

Documentation from the Drayton Papers Collection has revealed the major influence Michaux had on the landscape and gardens at Drayton Hall during this period.

The Drayton Papers Collection contains a list of the plants and shrubs that Michaux gave to Charles Drayton which are titled "Catalogue of Seeds Sown in the Nursery." This list shows not only Michaux's generosity but also the wide variety of plants and shrubs he introduced at Drayton Hall.

To the left is a list of plants and shrubs Michaux gave to Drayton Hall. Mr. James Cothran credits Michaux with bringing to America the fragrant tea olive, the crape myrtle, the candelberry tree, the mimosa or silk tree, the gingko tree, and according to legend, the Camellia.

Michaux's French Botanical Gardens thrived from 1786 to 1796 but after the French Revolution the government could no longer provide financial support.

Michaux was ordered to terminate his work and put the garden up for sale. By August 1796, Michaux had left the Charleston area and returned to France.

His fortunes depleted, Michaux joined an expedition to the island of Mauritius and then sailed to Madagascar to study plant life.

Michaux accustomed to a busy pace in his previous expeditions, did not heed warnings regarding Madagascar's unhealthy tropical climate. Worn out and far from home, Michaux succumbed to malarial fever and died in 1802.

Click Here To access the Andre Michaux web site.