Maplelawn, National historic site and former estate in Westboro, Ottawa, Canada
Maplelawn is a stone manor house with two-and-a-half stories and a symmetrical five-bay facade that shows British classical architecture from the 1800s. The building has a hipped roof, end chimneys, and was built as the center of a large country estate.
William Thomson, a retired British army officer, built Maplelawn between 1831 and 1834 near Bytown. The property was originally the center of a large country estate and is now protected as a national historic site of Canada.
The name Maplelawn comes from the maple trees that define the grounds and reflect the Canadian landscape. Visitors can see today how the maintained gardens show how wealthy families designed outdoor spaces in the 1800s.
The property is open to the public, with the former residence now operating as a restaurant. The gardens can be viewed while volunteers regularly maintain them for visitors.
The walled garden of about one acre is one of the few remaining examples of early 1800s garden designs in Canada. It still shows both ornamental and practical sections as they were typical for wealthy households.
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