Virginia Historic Garden Week is nearly HERE

Maymont in Richmond in the Spring

Virginia Historic Garden Week is fast approaching and occurs April 26 - May 3, 2014.

Conveniently, the Garden Club of Virginia provides a 240 page booklet complete with graphic details about the tour featuring such Spring beauties as flowering Dogwood, Hydrangea, Tulips, and Daffodils. Look for the booklet at your local library or read details online. The tour features homes and gardens, some communities lean more toward gardens, some more to homes.

Historic home on tour in 2012, Ashland, Virginia

Since my relocation to Charlottesville, Virginia in 2009 I have not missed the annual tour and each year scour the booklet with several cups of tea (initially the book was smaller and one cup would suffice) for the perfect location to tour and blog about. I have yet to be disappointed. Each community offers a little something different than the other. I loved the smaller community tours in Staunton and Ashland and was blown away by the tour last year in Richmond.

Arrangement on Ashland Tour, 2012

This year, because of the great number of gardens featured, we have decided to go to Lexington.
Saturday, May 3: The Lexington tour is located within Monroe Park, a subdivision that began construction in the 1920s. This tour features 7 homes and/or gardens.

There are a few communities that have fantastic descriptions but given we limit our driving distance to 2 hours, they are out of reach.

Lynchburg, Richmond, Roanoke, and Petersburg sound really good but were not chosen for various reasons.

Old City Cemetery, Lynchburg, Virginia

Tuesday, April 29: I pass through Lynchburg often and check in on the Anne Spencer's Poet Garden and the Old City Cemetery Gardens so I ruled that out. If you have not been, I highly recommend this tour or go to the Rose Festival May 9th at the Old City Cemetery to choose from hundreds of roses.

Patio on tour in Ashland, Virginia 2012

Tuesday, April 29: If you love history, go to Petersburg. It's farther to drive than Lexington and on the same day so we ruled it out. The garden booklet is dripping with references such as, "symbol of the grandeur that characterized the aristocracy of Virginia in the 19th century".

Home on 2013 Tour, Richmond, Virginia

Wed - Fri, April 30 - May 2: Richmond features three different areas of the city on different days. It's never easy for me to decided which area to pick. If you are fortunate to live in Richmond, you can go to all three! Also don't miss the headquarters located at the Kent-Valentine house, it's amazing!

The Star City of the South, Roanoke, Virginia

Saturday, May 3: Roanoke often offers interesting tours, last year the home on top of Mill Mountain (where the Star is perched) was on the tour. This year the gardens only of the Avenham home of Mary Anne and David Wine are open. The home used to be owned by the Roanoke Council of Garden Clubs and was built in 1911. It is a well known Roanoke landmark and the Wine's have worked on their property since their acquisition in 2003. I rented space in Pulaski, Virginia for my coffee shop, MimiAnne's, from David Wine and the greatest of care always goes into their preservation efforts changing what once was discarded into something magnificent. I would expect the gardens to be beautiful.

I have to shut my eyes and not even dare read Williamsburg, Virginia Beach, Fairfax, Eastern Shore... all too far to travel but I'm sure offering outstanding tours.

Walking trail, at the foothill of Monticello

In Charlottesville:

Monday, April 28th: Free lecture and tour, 2 pm, Kitchen Road Restoration at Monticello (RESERVATIONS REQUIRED - website refers to 10 am but trust me, it's at 2 pm).

Tuesday April 29th: Free lecture, "Expanding Jefferson's Vision, Master Plan for the University of Virginia" will be held at the Albert and Shirley Small Collection Library on campus at 2 pm. I adore this amazing library which by the way, also hosts a wonderful summer lecture series.

If you have not toured the Academical Village Pavilion Gardens near the Rotunda on campus, add that to your list! The gardens are magical.

So much to see and so little time - 8 days, 250 gardens, 2,000 floral arrangements - WOW. 

Where ever you decide to go, you are sure to find beauty and surprises. Proceeds benefit historic garden preservation in Virginia and the list of success stories is quite a lengthy one! Currently nearly 50 gardens in the state are undergoing preservation projects.

-Rebecca

The Perfect Storm... for Spring

Crocus are always the first to open.

April certainly is being ushered in appropriately, as the saying goes... April Showers bring May Flowers! The recent snow and never ending rain is creating the perfect storm for buds to pop open and plants to FINALLY show off their beauty.

A little mini, always first Daffodil to open.

As plants wax and wane with the seasons, so do I. When Spring blossoms begin to open I have serious cabin fever and when Fall finally arrives I'm exausted from gardening and am ready to hunker down and regenerate. My perennial plants go through the same phases - opening bright and cheery in the Spring and dying withered from standing tall while working hard to expand their roots through long hot Summers. Almost relieved to be taking a rest from all the progress they have made during that one season.

Ted holding just two of hundreds of Dahlia he raises.

When thinking back on past Springs I can help but imagine what this year has to offer. Last year I planted hundreds of Daffodils and several perennials and shrubs from my gardening friend Ted's wonderful garden. New plants give me something to look forward to once they get settled in and start to show off. It typically takes a few seasons for plants to regenerate from being started from seed or transplanted. This is the second season for Naked Ladies, May Queen Daisy, Hibiscus, Sedum, Daylily, and Daffodil. I have a special tree bed where I pop in tree starts, allowing them to grow a few seasons to gain some height so hopefully the Deer won't mow them down to the ground. I've learned that planting a small tree out on Forsythia Hill is near certain death. It's not quite time to plant out any into the yard but it is always fun to watch their growth.

Our Mockingbird on guard in HIS Forsythia Hedge.

Of course I am elated to see the Forsythia in bloom on Forsythia Hill in Charlottesville, Virginia. It passes quickly but it's worth the wait. Looking out today the yellow buds are opening on light brown woody stems.  It's pretty cool to just see a mass of yellow without the green leaves that will soon appear. I can see Forsythia out of every window in the house, hence the name of our property. I even transplanted some several seasons ago creating new patches of Forsythia. You can never have enough! It creates a Secret Garden for nature in our yard. Mockingbirds, snakes, mice, rabbits, foxes and who knows what else is hiding in the Forsythia Hedge!

One Forsythia Hedge in peak bloom last year.

The rain is to be here a few more days and then temperatures are to rise, creating the perfect storm for blossoms all over Charlottesville, Virginia to burst open, eager to put on a new year of growth.

HAPPY SPRING. Get out and explore!

-Rebecca

Convicted Felon Gets Jail Time for Animal Cruelty in Albemarle County

Buttons worn be activists picturing one of the poor Pitbulls.

Today I witnessed some amazing testimony by some brave individuals as they faced down a convicted Felon in the Albemarle County General Court. Eric Johnson, a known animal abuser since 2007, was finally told by the Judge he is not to own animals and was sentenced to 12 months in jail. He also had to pay restitution to the Albemarle County SPCA for their care of his three dogs when they were seized on one of the coldest days recorded in this county's history during the Polar Vortex of 2014.

Mr. Johnson is not unfamiliar to law enforcement in Nelson County a Sheriff's Deputy testified that he had previously investigated his residence in 2007 finding short tethers and neglect. Mr. Johnson's current neighbor who coincidentally was a retired Animal Control Officer and is currently employed in the Animal Welfare field was concerned about the neglect of the three dogs tied out in the yard on chains or discarded electrical cords to various devices such as a log and electric meter box. Last year she had offered to help Mr. Johnson by providing him with FREE dog houses constructed by the volunteer agency HOWS (Houses of Wood and Straw). Mr. Johnson declined and therefor his outside dogs were never under shelter. There was no shelter provided at all for these poor dogs. When the polar vortex hit, it was all the neighbor could stand, to see these animal freeze to death so Animal Control was contacted and the dogs were seized. Mr. Johnson was given back a 7 month old pit bull, adult pit bull, and very pregnant pit bull awaiting his appearance at this trial.

Today, the Judge backed the Commonwealth Attorney's argument that the 7 month old pit bull was treated the most cruel, having a chain as a collar that had wrapped around his neck several times (twisted with fishing line and an electrical cord complete with outlet plug) unable to get to an empty water bowl that was out of reach. It was also reported by the Sheriff's Deputy in Nelson County that he found a dog on such a short tether at Mr. Johnson's house in 2007 that the dog had to live standing on his dog house because if he was on the ground it would hang the dog to death.  The SPCA vet testified that the dogs were miraculously in good condition given there was no food or water or shelter provided for the dogs, but that if the very pregnant dog would have given birth to puppies in the 10 degree temperature outside, they would have all died.

This is the first trial that I've witnessed in Albemarle County and I have witnessed many animal cruelty outcomes (in another county in Virginia) resulting in only a slap on the wrist. I was relieved to see a trial where justice was finally served.  I was impressed that this matter was taken seriously and time was spent to review the facts (a 1.5 hour trial with 8 witnesses). The message was clear, DON'T MESS WITH OUR PETS in Albemarle County! Mr. Johnson will spend one month in jail (11 months were suspended), has to reimburse the SPCA $1872.00, incurred penalties of $50.00 X 3 for lack of rabies vaccine and $30.00 X 3 failure to have the dogs licensed, and $250.00 X 2 for failure to give proper care according to VA Section 65-03 X 2, a Class 4 Misdemeanor. All maximum penalties according to state law. One dog (with the chain tether) was deemed the worst treated of the three and landed Mr. Johnson a cruelty conviction with jail term. He is to pay his $2600.00 bill by December or will have to serve his 11 months suspended sentence.

I congratulate Animal Control and the neighbor that had the balls to do what was right and stand up for those that can't speak. It took great strength and guts for her testimony. She is a true hero to me and I hope will inspire others to stand up when they see an injustice and not just turn their head. I was also happy to find at least 15 citizens in protest of his actions in the court room.

On a side note, Mr. Johnson sold the pit puppies on Craigslist between the time the pregnant dog was returned to him and this trial. I hope he made more than $2,600.00 and spending a month in jail was worth it.

-Rebecca