In Alice's Style "As the house at first was very stark and white, a climbing rose was planted on each side of the entrance to soften the glare, and since it was in Maryland, the door was of course flanked by box bushes." From Adventures in 'Adventures in Southern Maryland' by Alice L.L. Ferguson

Gardening at the Alice Ferguson Foundation

Henry G. and Alice L.L. Ferguson acquired Hard Bargain Farm in 1922. Their house and gardens, now headquarters for the Alice Ferguson Foundation, are perched on a hilltop with views to the Potomac River across to Mt. Vernon and up river to Washington, DC. Alice Ferguson designed the house and built it on the foundation of the original farmhouse which had collapsed during attempted renovations. She graced porches with arbors of rose, grape, and wysteria, formalized entrances with boxwoods for a touch of the formal, and emphasized views with a spacious lawn flanked by pathways with colorful perennials, magnolia and dogwood to usher in Spring.

Through 30’s and 40’s, the hilltop gardens hosted a lively social scene of weekend visitors swimming, playing lawn games, and enjoying the bounty of the farm. Following Alice’s death in 1951, Henry Ferguson bequeathed Hard Bargain Farm with its house and gardens to the surrounding community. The Alice Ferguson Foundation was organized in 1954, and today it has become a leader in environmental education and vigilant steward of the Potomac River watershed.

The hilltop Ferguson farmhouse, collections and gardens embody design trends and lifestyle from the Country Place Era (1890-1940). The Alice Ferguson Foundation maintains the house gardens with support from Fergie’s Gardeners. On this website, click on the Garden Club pages to find information about Fergie’s Gardeners or the Gardens page for a photo tour or the Tours page for information on arranging a visit.