Through the Garden Gate Tour features Vintage Finds

Entryway into the gardens.

Today a fellow gardening friend and I visited the interesting garden and home of The Askew's of Charlottesville, Virginia. It was the featured garden for July in the Piedmont Master Gardeners tour series, Through the Garden Gate. Tours are hosted the 2nd Saturday of the month from 9 - noon, in a different garden each month.

Great mix of herbs and collectibles in the garden.

The Askew's are huge collectors of vintage and have designed their home and gardens around the items they have acquired. Sturdy industrial metals and large ceramics are tastefully woven throughout their garden. I especially enjoyed the collection of old farm equipment, fencing, and building discards that had been artfully placed into select garden spots. It takes a creative mind to find uses for found items that might have otherwise been tossed out.

Re-purposed entry door block A/C Unit. 

For some time I have been scratching my head trying to decide how to put some of my collected items to good use and the Askew's have inspired me to think out of the box. I really liked their placement of an old (but really cool) door to block their air conditioning unit and how they hung an old window frame and shutters on the side of a shed to make it look like a real window.

A quiet place to sip some tea - love the fence!

There were many quaint nooks in the garden in which one could sit and relax, all providing a different view of the grounds. The Askew's love of the garden was obvious, all vistas within the house were really extensions of the garden. The expansive front porch and back sun porch providing panoramic views of the garden.

Rarely Through the Garden Gate tours include the inside of the home but today was one of those days. Throughout the house, walls displayed family photos and memorabilia. I loved the feminine touches like the sweet handkerchief collections dotting the rooms and the cool framed vintage bathing suit along with the historic swim team photo. One would have to return again and again to really digest all the cool finds in the house.

Whimsical shed just for "her", MEN KEEP OUT.

Because I collect and sell vintage, I especially enjoyed this tour. I couldn't get enough of the found and family treasures and wish I had more hours to explore this interesting home.

-Rebecca 

Through the Garden Gate Tours 2013

Bold white Daffodil, possibly Mount Hood.

Yesterday kicked off the annual Piedmont Master Gardeners garden tour series, Through the Garden Gate.  Occurring the 2nd Saturday of the month from 9 - noon, hosted at a different garden each month. The immaculately landscaped gardens of Deborah and Sam Kellam were featured on this first tour.

Brilliant Blue Anemone

The Kellam home is gracefully perched on a small knoll in an open landscape with pockets of large trees and carefully designed beds. The minimal exertion required to walk the front yard is all but forgotten as you enjoy the peeps of Spring flowers dotted throughout. The yard and home exterior were kept very tidy and many plants were even labeled just for tour participants.

Trout Lily

Deborah and Sam have landscaped their entire property themselves over a 40 year period. Many boulders and rocks have been hauled in to outline walkways and create steps. I enjoyed the flower beds in the front yard dotted with pretty little bits of this and that ~ Daffodils, Anemone, Helleborus, Hyacinth, Magnolia, Japanese Maple, flowering shrubs, and several varieties of Cryptomeria japonica are woven into the landscape.

A cozy place to enjoy the garden.

Walking around the side of the house to the backyard, one of my favorite nooks was a Red Japanese Maple artfully framed by a black stone wall.  The Maple was just leafing out but in full bloom the brilliant red must pop in front of the black stone.  As you approach the backyard, you are confronted with an expansive stand of huge trees meandering down a long slop.  Noticing that other neighboring yards were basically unusable due to the slop, it was quite a feat for this area to be usable by something other than wandering deer.  Carefully outlined pathways that were sturdy and safe for passage wound through a deciduous forest with splashes of shade loving creepers and yellow Woodland Poppies.

The bottom of the winding path in the magical backyard.

As I exited the backyard, I noticed the wonderful back decks overlooking the forest and could imagine it would provide a great outpost for bird watching.  I also noticed a double sized greenhouse window on the back of the cute garage.  It gave me the idea of removing a ramshackle window in my house and replacing it with something I could grow my seedlings in each year.  I always seem to pick up an idea or two during the tours.

Solitary Pale Yellow Tulip

Hands down, this is my favorite Charlottesville area annual garden tour event and it is affordably priced at $5.00.  Hope to see you at the next one.  2013 Garden Tour Schedule

-Rebecca

What's a Girl To Do

FRIDAY - June 8

9 PM - 11 PM - FREE - Look3 - Charlottesville Festival of the Photograph.  20 artists will showcase new and exciting work in a huge projection at the nTelos Wireless Pavilion.

Go early and check out the beautiful photography installments in and around the Downtown Mall.

SATURDAY - June 9

9 AM - Noon - $5.00 - The wonderful Piedmont Master Gardeners seasonal series, Through the Garden Gate is in Ivy.  A woodland garden tour.   Occurring the 2nd Saturday of the month from 9 - noon, hosted at a different garden each month. Hands down, this is my favorite Charlottesville area annual garden tour event. 

All day - Various loctions - FREE - Last day of the Charlottesville Festival of the Photograph, Look3 but many gallery installments will remain until later.