The Hermitage
335 North Franklin Turnpike Ho-Ho-Kus NJ 07423-1035
Telephone 201-445-8311
Fax 201-445-0437
www.thehermitage.org
info@thehermitage.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Richard A. Sgritta, Executive Director, 201-445-8311, ext. 22,
rsgritta@thehermitage.org
Master Gardeners Re-create Victorian
Herb Garden at The Hermitage
Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ: Mary Elizabeth (Bess) Rosencrantz, who lived at The Hermitage as an
independent, unmarried woman in the 1890s, became interested in gardening, pressing and
preserving flowers, ferns, and other botanical items. Herbs were used to not only to flavor food
but also to clean, dye, and heal in the nineteenth century. In addition, according to Flora’s
Dictionary: The Victorian Language of Herbs and Flowers, each flower and herb had a symbolic
meaning that Victorians used to express their feelings to one another.
Visitors to the Hermitage Museum this summer can take a step back in time and visit the
Victorian herb garden created and maintained by the Master Gardeners of Bergen County.
Among other herbs, the garden contains:

Bee balm (Monarda “Jacob Cline”), a member of the mint family whose citrus-flavored
leaves were used in tea and to treat colds and chest pain. In bouquets, bee balm expressed
“sweet virtues.”

Catmint (Nepeta caparia), which produces a mass of lavender flowers in late spring to
early summer. It is also known as catnip for its fascination to cats. Catmint expressed
“intoxication with love.”

Chamomile (Anthemis nobilis), used by Victorians as a sedative in tea, expressed, “I
admire your courage.”

Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare dulce), an ornamental kitchen garden plant, was used in
cooking. Its seeds were considered a digestive aid. Fennel expressed “worthy of all
praise.”

Garlic chives (Allium tuberosum) were used to give foods an onion flavor and expressed
“Usefulness” and “Why do you weep?”

Lavender (Lavendulla augustifolia) was used as a sachet, a mouthwash, for
housecleaning, and to flavor sugar. It expressed “luck” and “loyalty.”

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), the “dew of the sea,” was used in cooking as well as
to cure stomach disorders. It espressed “remembrance” and “fidelity.”

Sage (Salvia officinalis), whose leaves were used as an antibiotic, a diuretic, and an
astringent, as well as to flavor meat. Sage expressed “long life and good health.”

Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium), a particularly bitter herb that was a key ingredient in
liqueurs, expressed “displeasure.”
To volunteer in the Hermitage garden, contact Master Gardener site coordinator Kathleen
Sullivan at kmsrhc@verizon.net.
The Hermitage, a National Historic Landmark, is one of the nation’s outstanding examples of
domestic Gothic Revival architecture. The historic house incorporates a stone structure that was
visited during the Revolutionary War by George Washington and was the site where Aaron Burr
met and married Theodosia Prevost. The house’s architectural appearance dates to the 1847
remodeling and enlargement designed by the architect William H. Ranlett. Today, the historic
house’s furnishings reflect the late Victorian lifestyle of the Rosencrantz family. The museum
collection is notable for its historic clothing as well as for personal items and papers related to
the Rosencrantz family who owned and lived in the home from 1807 to 1970.
The Friends of the Hermitage, Inc., a nonprofit membership organization, manages The
Hermitage, a New Jersey State Park. The Friends offer tours of the historic house, exhibitions
based on the collections, and diverse educational programming. For information about The
Hermitage, contact Friends of the Hermitage by mail at 335 North Franklin Turnpike, Ho-HoKus, NJ 07423; by phone at (201) 445-8311 between (9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through
Friday); or visit our website at www.thehermitage.org.
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Photographs are available on request by calling or emailing Assistant Director Susan Deeks at
(201) 445-8311, ext. 36, or sdeeks@thehermitage.org.