Whitestone Quarry and the Dell reflect Mount Congreve’s rich history. Michael White, who spent 40 years at the estate, explains how the Congreve family, settled here in 1759, planted woodland shelterbelts creating a microclimate that supports exotic plants. The quarry provided stone for the garden, and Ambrose Congreve’s time in China inspired the Chinese pagoda at the bottom of this quarry. The nearby Dell, surrounded by azaleas, offers a tranquil space that leads toward the temple and the next part of the gardens.
