![](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6329bbc5347392135b0512ee/7216fea8-7ed3-4970-90d7-a1da7bf269e5/401845652_737901225044550_4879023374939061591_n.jpg)
history
In the late 17th century, Stephen Fox acquired a 400-acre plantation along the banks of the Ashley River. Fox passed the land to his son-in-law, Thomas Drayton, thus establishing the Drayton family name upon the Ashley’s shores. The Draytons expanded their land holdings over the next two centuries reaching nearly 1,700 acres by the dawn of the Civil War. This land made up what became known as Magnolia-on-the-Ashley and later Magnolia Plantation & Gardens.
Carolina Gold Rice cultivated by the enslaved provided the vast wealth enjoyed by the Drayton family. Its name derived from the golden hue of the unhulled grains and for the riches it bestowed upon the planter class of Lowcountry South Carolina. However, those who toiled under the yoke of slavery to those golden grains are not forgotten. Four restored and preserved enslaved cabins are still present on the property. Dedicated conservation work continues to ensure we honor those who labored in the rice fields, house, and gardens at Magnolia Plantation.
In the 1840s, the Rev. John Grimké Drayton planted the elaborate Romantic gardens to help his new wife, Juliana Ewing, a Philadelphia socialite, adjust to Lowcountry life. The Rev. Drayton hoped the gardens would not only add beauty to their property but would also showcase his amazing collection of azaleas and camellias. In fact, Drayton’s stunning plants—long kept in the greenhouses of New York and Pennsylvania—were among the first of their kind to be planted outside in South Carolina’s sub-tropical climate. While Drayton possessed the vision, it was the enslaved who carried it out and labored to bring the Romantic garden dream to life.
Following the Civil War, Rev. Drayton found himself in dire need of revenue. Drayton sold a great deal of his holdings for phosphate mining—like many other large landholders across the Lowcountry—but Drayton held another unique card in his hand. In 1871, Magnolia opened its gardens to the public, becoming one of Charleston’s first tourist attractions. During the magnificent blooming of camellias and azaleas, visitors arrived via steamship on the Ashley River and received guided tours from those who had formerly been enslaved. People have been admiring the gardens ever since.
Now open year-round, Magnolia is in bloom 365 days a year!