The beautiful grounds surrounding the Governor’s Mansion have changed frequently and dramatically. When Governor Elisha M. Pease moved into the Mansion in 1856 it did not have a formal garden. Governor Pease planted grass and a vegetable garden for the family’s food supply. After years of neglect due to the Civil War, First Lady Anne Davis (1870-1874) hired the first gardener, planted a variety of species, and had a gazebo built on the south lawn. In the 1920s Ma Ferguson had a greenhouse built on the southwest side.
