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.
In 1979, the Notman House and the Home were classified historical monuments by the Ministère de la Culture et des Communications (MCC). Then, in 1984, a protection area that included the garden was decreed around these buildings. In 2008, the garden was nevertheless separated from Notman House and the land was zoned for housing.
While the two buildings were reclassified to enable the development of a technological hub there, the garden remains under threat to this day. Since 2013, the Citizens’ Movement for the Preservation of the Notman Garden has been lobbying for this land to be given a public and cultural vocation.
In December 2014, the Plateau-Mont-Royal borough applied for classification under the Cultural Heritage Act, but the application was refused.
In February 2018, the borough council issued a mandate authorizing the expropriation of the site and ownership was transferred to the City on August 27, 2018. The area has since been zoned “park”.
In 2019, the Plateau-Mont-Royal announced its intention to redevelop the sector, including the greening of Milton Street, with measures to make it safer for pedestrians and cyclists. It was also proposed that the garden be transformed into a public park open onto the streets, which could lead to a change in its classification as a garden.
In December 2020, archaeological excavations took place at the Notman Garden. Pieces of crockery, glass, food remains, tools and several other objects such as beads and belt buckles were found.
In 2022, temporary installations were set up on Clark and Milton streets to animate the Notman Garden area: information plaques, furniture, urban agriculture boxes, etc.
In 2023, the borough confirms its intention to develop the park, although no timetable has yet been set. The gardener’s house, built in the 1950s, will be demolished. The development of Clark and Milton streets will be continued, including community gardens, street furniture, etc.
The garden in 2005. The state of the site is similar in 2023. Picture by Roger Latour, 2005.
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.
Plateau-Mont-Royal borough
Urban Development
Urban landscape
Public: municipal
Vacant
Inappropriate/incompatible use
City of Montréal
Public spaces / Parks / green space
Municipal: Located in an area of exceptional heritage value Provincial: Located in a protected area – William-Notman House and Bon-Pasteur Monastery
How do you see this Montreal site? What legacy has it left us? What future can we create for it? Where to start to get there? Who wants to participate in the project?
You have questions? Want to do more, but lack the information? Consult our toolkit to learn more about the heritage of the Montreal metropolitan area, the preservation mechanisms in place and possible actions.
