His father was
Sir George Rawdon, 1st Baronet. His mother was George's second wife Dorothy, daughter of
Edward Conway, 2nd Viscount Conway. Rawdon was a
Member of Parliament for
County Down, and a general in the army of King
William III of England. Besieged at
Derry, he fell ill, but managed to escape, though his military career was at an end. He married Helena Graham, daughter of Sir James Graham of Airth. They had at least two children, John and Isabella. Rawdon inherited the lands at Moira after his father died. He rebuilt a mansion, surrounded by trees, sheep and huge gardens. On this estate, Arthur built the first hot-house in Europe. Rawdon was a botanist and imported 400 plant species from Jamaica, earning the name "Father of Irish Gardening". His garden had a labyrinth, ponds, and canals. The trees included the "Locust of Virginia" which was 30 ft high and had a trunk of at least a foot and a half in diameter. For two generations the garden was maintained. ==Legacy==