Rosedale Nursery

Established around 1860 by English immigrant William H. Watson as the state's first commercial nursery, Rosedale grew from three acres in Brenham to 200 acres southeast of the town by 1897. At Rosedale, Watson specialized in peach and grape cultivars. The nursery's 31-page catalog for the 1869-70 season revealed that Watson stocked not only fruit trees and grape vines, but also numerous ornamental plants. In 1874, he produced the "Rosedale Hybrid" arbor vitae. Over the years, Rosedale employed several professional gardeners who trained at England's Royal Botanic Kew Gardens. Watson's sons continued the business into the 20th century. (2014)