Notman House was built in 1845 for lawyer William Collis Meredith, according to plans by John Wells. In 1876, the luxurious bourgeois home in the Neoclassical style was purchased by renowned photographer William Notman. In 1894, with support from Senator George A. Drummond, the house was completed with the addition of a hospital designed by architect Andrew T. Taylor to create St. Margaret’s Home for the Incurables. The house continued to serve in this capacity until 1991.

North of the house and visitor center, on Milton Street, is the Notman Garden: a 1000-square-metre green oasis akin to the gardens adorning the mansions of what was once the Golden Square Mile on Sherbrooke Street.

Developed in the first decade of the 20th century by Lady Julia Drummond, a supporter of the City Beautiful movement, the Notman Garden was a place of rest for the residents of St. Margaret’s Home.

Abandoned some two decades ago, the garden is now a beloved urban forest in the neighbourhood. It is home to 44 species of trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants including, in particular, some tree species that are rare in Montreal, Gymnocladus dioicus (Kentucky coffeetree), an endangered species in Canada, as well as huge silver maples. The site also features a gardener’s cottage, which is currently being assessed for its heritage value. Lastly, the garden enhances the former St. Margaret’s Home and the series of row houses lining the northern side of Milton Street.

Heritage Montreal has always worked to have the garden recognized as an integral part of the Notman House ensemble, denouncing the division of the site and the isolation of the garden.

Heritage Montreal continues to follow the file very closely and to put pressure on the owners so that the heritage values ​​of the site are respected.