Virginia will host its annual Historic Garden Week from April 20-27, 2024. Once again, it promises to feature numerous home and garden tours across the Commonwealth from the mountains to the coast. Proceeds benefit the restoration of public gardens along with fellowships for students of landscape architecture. It's a win-win for everyone involved!
The tours are varied, so you can choose the ones to your liking based on the lovely guidebook filled with more than 120 pages showcasing the beauty of Virginia. You can view a pdf version through the following link:
Even if you cannot attend any of the tours, it is always a treat to read this guidebook. Every year, the Garden Club of Virginia puts enormous time and energy into this tour, and it shows in the guidebook. The image of the 'Double Delight' rose (see above) does not come from this publication, but it does show what kind of beautiful roses grow in Virginia!
Speaking of roses, there are tours with rose gardens, although the number of blooms may depend on the region you visit. The tour occurs in late April, and some roses, particularly in cooler areas, may not be in full bloom, but you may find exceptions. Here are a few, but not all, of the locations with rose gardens on display:
Historic Glen Burnie Gardens at the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley
(part of the Winchester Tour on Saturday, April 27th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
Sutherlin Mansion/Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History
(part of the Danville/Chatham Tour on Thursday, April 25th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
Spencer-Penn Centre
(part of the Martinsville Tour on Wednesday, April 24th from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)
Margaret Moore Hall Bicentennial Rose Garden
(part of the Norfolk Tour on Thursday, April 25th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
Virginia Zoological Park
(part of the Norfolk Tour on Thursday, April 25th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
Lee Hall - Gardens
(part of the Northern Neck Tour on Wednesday, April 24th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
Along the way, individual roses are noted on certain tours. For example, the Ballantrae Farm Estate, part of the Fairfax County/McLean Tour, will feature the 'Madame Alfred Carriere' climbing rose. Numerous tours feature roses in places like Richmond and Fredericksburg, among others. Another rose-related treat can be found during the Martinsville Tour at Rosewood. A 3-D glass window features the life cycle of a rose in honor of the owner's great-grandmother who was named Rosa. This is just one example of how Virginians have a knack for blending history with botanical beauty. I hope you will find your own examples while looking through the Tour Guidebook. Better yet, book a tour to experience the beauty and hospitality of Virginia for yourself!