Historic Garden Week in Virginia is this week. Beautiful Home and Garden Tour 2022

Charlottesville 2018

Historic Garden Week in Virginia is almost here! Tickets are limited for each location throughout the state so you might want to consider pre-purchasing tickets online this year. The tour was suspended because of Covid, but it's back this year. 

Ashland 2020

After a deep delve into the annual guide book, we've decided to go to Fredericksburg this year. They will be celebrating the 100 year anniversary of the George Washington Foundation. Funds raised by the Garden Club of Virginia (GCV) during their 1929 tours helped restore the gardens at the Kenmore estate, which was the first GCV restoration project. A massive outside floral arrangement will be assembled throughout the day.

Richmond

Proceeds raised by the GCV from the annual tours help maintain and restore historically significant gardens throughout the state of Virginia.

Help kick off the most beautiful time of the year in Virginia by getting out and seeing the beauty that we're so fortunate to be surrounded by.

Richmond

The tour runs tomorrow, April 23 - 30th. 

Typically a community has one or two specific dates assigned to them.

HAPPY SPRING!

~Rebecca

Spring Private Garden Tours 2021 in Charlottesville, Virginia

Several years ago I joined a local Charlottesville Virginia plant exchange and garden discussion Facebook group. It's an active group with many sharing plants or collecting my excess! We're all happy that plants will find new homes and not simply be tossed on the compost pile. Select times of the year you can sign up for tours of home gardens.

Yesterday my mother and I visited three gardens located in the Key West neighborhood of Charlottesville. Our car navigator led us a bit astray and we initially drove right past the first garden on our list. On our way we noticed a colorful flowerbed that stood out from all the rest. It ended up being the home we were trying to locate! Leslie's garden is not easily missed as you cruise through Key West. This time of year the Iris is showing off as are the Peonies.

Leslie's garden was an empty palette when she began gardening their property 13 years ago. Originally starting small with a 12' long strip of flowers her gardens now encircle the home. Recently a massive swath of pink Daffodils have been added to the adjoining forest area and happily cascade down the back hillside to meet the Rivanna River. I'm told by other neighborhood gardeners she is often spotted tending to her plants. 

All three Key West gardens that we visited are located in deer country so a wide array of tactics are employed to help protect plants. Electric fencing, the rotation of various deer repellant products, and extremely tall fencing and netting help keep the deer away from special plant areas. Also plant selection is crucial, planting things they don't usually dine on unless extremely desperate but nothing is 100% when you're dealing with deer.

One pretty spot in Leslie's garden is the Lotus pond. The pink flowers tend to burst upward in June and crescendo on July 4th. Leslie invited us to be sure to come back and see the show!

We so enjoyed our day out meeting fellow nature lovers and seeing a diverse set of gardens that were all equally amazing. I hope this peek at Leslie's garden gives you a taste of what's on tour this year.

~Rebecca

  

Historic Garden Week in Virginia - 2020 Coronavirus edition - Visit the Gardens ONLINE!

2015 tour in Richmond at Tuckahoe Plantation

If you have followed my writing over the years, you will know that I blog about the amazing annual garden tour that takes place throughout the state of Virginia. This week long tour is organized by the Garden Club of Virginia, an organization that is celebrating their centennial this year!

2012 Garden Week, a lovely home in Ashland

I always pre-select the city that I will visit based on the detailed description in the Historic Garden Week of Virginia tour book. You can still dowload them online and you might be able to snag one in your area if you are lucky to find a distribution location up and running. It's a Spring publication that describes historic and private gardens that are scheduled to be on the tour.

Flower cart 2014 Garden Week in Lexington

Due to the coronavirus the week long tour has been cancelled but I just received notice that the event organizers will be hosting week long Facebook and Instagram video presentations beginning today, April 18, 2020 through April 25, 2020. They will periodically post videos on their sites throughout the day. Some history, flower arranging, gardens, and a little preview of gardens to come during the hopefully - back on again 2021 tour.

It's a very popular event and people travel even from outside our state to celebrate Spring in Virginia. A lot of planning goes into preparing homes and gardens for the thousands of visitors. It's quite sad the event has been cancelled but it's nice to know we can catch a glimpse online. You may be able to see posts on Instagram even if you don't have an account. Click on the links above and give it a try.

I've reposted a few of my favorite photos from past tours. Enjoy!

~Rebecca

Spring Flower Gardening Event Calendar 2019 in Charlottesville Virginia

My front flower bed earlier in the season.

Instead of finishing my taxes, I'll divert my attention to SPRING. It's such a wonderfully lovely time of year, I had to sneak this blog post in. My garden has transformed from the yellow's of Daffodils and Forsythia to the pink's of Crab Apple and Redbud. With each passing Spring day my view from my back deck develops. Shades of green darken and dots of white and red trees appear. I never tire of the seasons.

Love this sweet garden view on Rugby Road.

I try to reserve April and May for Gardening Events. These months are super busy and it's my time to be selfish and take time out to explore gardens and reunite with plants. I've even invited the local Facebook plant group over to my house this year for a morning coffee and plant swap. The pressure is on to tidy up the yard, not to mention finish my taxes. YIKES! I hope the gang is not expecting a manicured yard, I'm more of a plant collector than a landscaper. Should be fun meeting like minded garden lovers that I've gotten to know from posting comments online.

My front flower bed, it's Daffodil season!

The first main local gardening event of the season will be kicked off this weekend on April 13. Hosted by The Piedmont Master Gardeners, Through the Garden Gate is held the second Saturday of each month during gardening season from 9 - 12 for the exception of August.

The annual Jefferson chapter of the Virginia Native Plant Society will have its sale at the Ivy Creek Nature Center on Saturday, April 27, 1 - 3. It's a wonderful sale with tons of plants and tons of buyers! Come early if you really want to be selective. Native plants benefit our local insect population!

Maybe Trisha will motivate me to go HGW VA.

Historic Garden Week in Virginia also kicks off on April 27 and continues until the following weekend on May 4. I've yet to decide on a garden location to visit. This is the first year that I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed with finishing our garage and getting started on renovating the basement so my mother can move in. I might take a breather this year (the first in probably 8 years) and skip this main event.

The Piedmont Master Gardeners will also have their  main event on Saturday May 4th, 10 - 2 under the Stonefield Shopping Plaza tent (this is a new location). Their annual plant sale is awesomely amazing. Another great place to pick up a special and unique plant from many different local plant expert groups.

Sweet Daffodils in my garden.

This week I'll be heading out at 6 am to take a stroll through the Sarah P. Duke Gardens before my annual doctor trip to Duke. Might as well make the visit interesting! Can't wait to finally see these gardens. I conveniently booked an appointment mid April.

HAPPY SPRING and get out and smell not only the roses but all the flowers!

~Rebecca

Historic Garden Week in Richmond Virginia 2015

Tuckahoe Plantation, boyhood home of Thomas Jefferson.

Yesterday I spent my birthday among gardeners in Richmond, Virginia surrounded by lovely Spring flowers. This is my second trip to Richmond for the annual Historic Garden Week tour and I have yet to be disappointed. I've always loved Richmond and every time I go I love this stunningly beautiful historic city a little more.

Quote on brick wall at the Bredrup's on Cary Street.

The Cary Town tour featured several gardens designed by famed landscape architect Charles Gillette. Installed on a brick wall in one garden was the sweetest garden plaque that was written by Mr. Gillette's wife. Spring is such a beautiful and delicate season. Spires of blue Delphiniums, cupped colorful Tulips, dangling Deutzia blossoms, and pom pom Viburnum dotted the gardens.

Wilton House Museum in the woods.

Two historic sites were on the tour. The 1750 Wilton House Museum was disassembled, stored, and relocated by the Virginia Dames brick by brick. This amazing plantation mansion is a massive structure overlooking the James River surrounded by quite the collection of boxwood.

Kitty relaxing in Pansies at Tuckahoe Plantation.

Upon arrival to Tuckahoe Plantation, Thomas Jefferson's home place, one is transported centuries back in time to a scenic pastoral setting on the James River. Horses, Guinea Hens, and a sweet kitty complete the charming setting. If you have the chance to visit this designated Historic National Landmark, GO! It's the finest existing early 18th century plantation in America and I would concur!

Pot of Tulips arranged by Garden Club vol.

I'm always so impressed with the kindness of Garden Club volunteers and their personal interest and love of gardening. We chatted with several volunteers along our trip and all were very helpful and fun to talk to. I thank each of them for their time, assistance, and breathtaking arrangements. This is one of my favorite features of the tour each year. Arrangements perfectly captured Spring featuring romantic pinks and blues with touches of Delphinium, Helleborus, variegated Solomon Seal, Tulips, Iris, Peony, and Viburnum.

Garden Angel in Deutzia buds at the Cronley's on Hillcrest.

On Hillcrest Avenue, secret garden pockets among naturalized areas featured lovely statuary, large trees and shrubs, and beautiful perennials. There was quite a crowd in this garden because it was slated as the first to tour. All sites were busy but not uncomfortable. It was fun rubbing elbows with fellow gardeners about plants but the gardens are typically quiet as many are focused on taking in the beauty around them.

Refreshing pool of the Tilghman's on Cary Street.

I also toured Monticello earlier in the week.

Oh next year hurry and arrive --- what a sweet adventure.

-Rebecca