BRUNSWICK
Sponsored by The Brunswick Garden Club
Saturday, April 24, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Chairman:
Bev Hudson (Mrs. W.A. Hudson)
108 Rollingwood Drive
Lawrenceville, VA 23868
Telephone: (434) 848-4229
E-Mail: beverly_hudson@yahoo.com
Co-Chairman:
Kay Outten (Mrs. W. Curtis Outten)
110 Crescent Drive
Lawrenceville, VA 23868
Telephone: (434) 848-2773
E-Mail: koutten1@verizon.net
INFORMATION CENTER:
St. Andrew=s Episcopal Church Parish Hall
400 Windsor Avenue (Hwy 46)
Lawrenceville, VA 23868
Telephone: (434) 848-3939
Restroom facilities
Ticket purchase and map of tour
Parking available for cars, vans and buses
DIRECTIONS TO INFORMATION CENTER: From Petersburg take I-85 south, at Exit 28, take Hwy-1 south to Hwy-46 south for approx. 7 mi. St. Andrew=s, a small white-framed building, is located in a left-turning curve on your left, with a parking lot available. From South Hill take Hwy-58 into the town of Lawrenceville; Hwy-58 and Hwy-46 are combined, at stoplight take Hwy-46 to your left. St. Andrew=s will be on right about 0.2 mi.
St. Andrews is the oldest public building in Brunswick County. The Parish of St. Andrews and the County of Brunswick were created by an Act of Assembly on November 20, 1720. As this area extended west to the mountains and was later divided into many parishes, St. Andrew=s has been called the AMother Church of Southside Virginia.@ The first vestry minutes begin in July of 1732. St. Andrew=s will be open for the tour.
FULL TICKET: $15; single-site admission, $5. Children 13 and older, full price; ages 6-12, half-price; ages 5 and under, free of charge. Children younger than age 17 must be accompanied by an adult. Tickets may be purchased on tour day at the information center and any of the homes open for the tour. Tickets may be purchased in advance on www.VAGardenweek.org.
PROPERTIES NEED NOT BE VISITED IN THE ORDER LISTED. A map of tour will be available at all homes, the information center and Rosemont Winery.
LUNCHEON: Lunch will be available at Rosemont Winery, 1050 Blackridge Rd., LaCrosse, VA 23950. Lunch is $10 and must be reserved and prepaid by April 15th. It will include ice tea or water, and wine can be purchased. For lunch reservation, send a check payable to Brunswick Garden Club to Kay Outten, 110 Crescent Drive, Lawrenceville, VA 23868. For additional information, contact either of the co-chairmen listed above.
DIRECTIONS TO THE LUNCHEON: From Petersburg/South Hill, take I-85 South, at Exit 12 take Hwy-58 East for approx. 3.75 mi., turn right on Regional Airport Rd. This road will intersect with Blackridge Rd., turn left staying on Blackridge Rd., approx 9 mi., Rosemont Winery will be on the left. From Lawrenceville, take Hwy-58 West for approx. 11 mi., (going through Brodnax) turn left on Regional Airport Rd.; this road will intersect with Blackridge Rd., turn left staying on Blackridge Rd., approx 9 mi., Rosemont Winery will be on the left.
Rosemont Vineyards and Winery is a family-run winery owned by Steve and Chandra Rose. The 450-acre Rosemont estate has been in the Rose family since 1858, with the home place actually dating to the mid-1700s. Over generations, farming operations have included vegetable growing, a peach orchard, beef cattle, dairy farming and commodity crops such as hay, tobacco, corn and soybeans. In 2003, the family continued their journey as stewards of the land with the planting of 16,000 grapevines and another 16,000 the next year. Construction of Rosemont Winery began in November of 2006, and in September 2007, the Roses produced their first vintage. For more information about Rosemont, please visit www.rosemontofvirginia.com.
Brunswick Tour--15800 Christanna Highway
15800 CHRISTANNA HIGHWAY, Lawrenceville 23868. This contemporary red-brick home, completed in August 2008, was designed and custom-built by the owners. A mix of the elegant and practical, attention to detail and use of bright, bold colors is evident throughout the interior. Large arched windows were incorporated on the first floor to bring in light and provide lovely views of the surrounding woods, rocks, gardens and water which they love. The entry opens to a two-story gallery showcased by fluted arches, oversize moldings and a blue-and-white tile floor featuring several intricate designs. Wrought-iron, ribbon-twisted balusters, with alternating single and double baskets and a wood railing, lead to the open second floor. The elegant architecture evokes the French Quarter in New Orleans. The wrought-iron design is repeated in the gallery=s large chandelier.
The large, open space in the great room features a 17-foot pyramid ceiling with white walls and blue trim and large oval windows. The adjoining sunroom, separated from the great room by a two-sided fireplace, is highlighted by a 16.5-foot cathedral ceiling. Every cabinet and drawer was custom-designed by the owner in the expansive gourmet kitchen, which contains an island, raised dining bar and granite countertops. Here and elsewhere, energy-saving appliances have been installed. Detailed tile designs are used in the kitchen, breakfast room and bathrooms. The master bedroom suite features a tray ceiling, his and her closets that are exceptional, an exquisite bath with dual-sink vanities, a corner whirlpool tub and a large walk-in shower.
The landscaped yard features more than 50 perennials, bulbs, annuals and ornamental grasses. Not to be missed are accent trees such as weeping Japanese maples, a carved Alberta spruce, a weeping cherry and a blue Atlas weeping contorted cedar. Garden stepping stones descend to the pond from a large patio accented with granite designs. Open for the first time for Historic Garden Week. Grady and Peggy Martin, owners.
1448 IRON BRIDGE ROAD, Lawrenceville 23868. Built in the late-1960s, this red-brick, colonial-style house crests a hill surrounded by pastureland and white fences. A long, sweeping driveway leads to the handsome double-door entry, welcoming guests to a home rich in family traditions. In search of rural property where they could raise horses, the owners found their place through the Internet, purchasing it in 2004. Since then they have made many additions and improvements, adding a sun porch and deck, a barn, three-car garage, storage building and a hen and goat house.
The first floor features a large living room with an office to the side, home to Mr. Nead=s clock collection. This cozy room with large fireplace is a favorite sitting area, especially in winter. In the completely redone kitchen and breakfast nook, original cabinets were stripped of paint and are now in a natural wood finish. All countertops were replaced with a light-colored Corian. The den leads to a sun porch addition roomy enough to comfortably entertain a crowd. This area provides a wide view of the entire property and farm buildings. Visitors are encouraged to tour the grounds and visit the horses, Brown Sugar and Sandy, at the barn, as well as the goats and chickens in hen/goat coop. Open for the first time. Ed and Nadine Nead, owners.
567 PINEY POND RD, Hwy 58, Brodnax 23920. This red-brick home, featuring stone windowsills and a terracotta tile roof, was built in 1927. The present owner purchased it two years ago, after admiring the house since childhood. With a busy highway nearby, the owner designed flower beds across the front of the residence and around the tall white privacy fence, creating an inviting and pleasing feel. The landscape interest in the yard and garden continues behind the fence and in the backyard. Plantings include many annuals, iris, tulips, daffodils, peonies, azaleas, hydrangea, hosta and much more.
Note the exquisite sideboard with a collection of crystal, candlesticks and barware when entering the house. An assembly of old soda bottles, old cameras and photos lines the mantel in the black-and-red-theme living room, and the family’s old photo collections are displayed throughout. Oriental rugs cover hardwood floors in every room. The dining room includes a dining suite once owned by Mr. Rogers’ grandparents. He enjoys shopping in flea markets and antiques shops for furnishings as well as adding to collections of fiesta ware, old candle holders and numerous vintage articles. This bright, welcoming home is open for the first time for Historic Garden Week. Scott Rogers, owner.
POPLAR CREEK, 3045 Evans Creek Rd,, Brodnax 23920. A visit here is an adventure, as you pass a stone wall through a tree-form metal gate designed by the owner, along woods and across a lovely stone causeway to the log cabin. Built in the 1970s, the property was purchased by the present owners in the mid-90s as a weekend retreat. Changes here since their ownership are dramatic: adding a six-and-a-half-acre, fenced-in pasture and small barn for their three horses and creating a pond near the cabin with a small dock, waterfalls, weeping willow, lotus, cattails and much more. More than one and a half miles of walking and riding trails have been created throughout the mostly wooded 45 acres. Some of the paths have names, such as ACamden=s Peak,@ named for the owners’ daughter. This path features fun, unusual rustic sculptures that lead to a small sitting area with a view over a steep incline, creating a sense of being in the mountains.
A cedar-sided guest cabin at the top of a steep incline gives a dramatic view of an additional pond and the Meherrin River. Both houses are decorated in a “mountain cabin” décor, with cedar and poplar picket handrails on stairways and landings using materials from the property. An existing old barn has been converted into an outdoor bar, eating area and guest bathrooms. Also, visit the APoultry Palace,@ home to peafowl, chukker, quail and pheasant. Open for the first time for Historic Garden Week. Don and Sherry Middlebrook, owners.
ALSO OF INTEREST:
FORT CHRISTANNA: This is a historic site where people can walk, study information signs and learn more about the past. A welcoming plaza with an information kiosk provides an entry, and there is a walking trail along the outline of the original walls of the fort. Fort Christanna is handicapped-accessible.
In 1714, the area that is now Brunswick County was wilderness and the most western outpost of the British Empire. Governor Alexander Spotswood was concerned about the safety of the settlers and the Native American tribes who were trading partners with the Colonists. He wanted to provide a safe place for people to convene, selecting an ideal site on a cliff above a bend of the Meherrin River where trading activities could take place.
The fort covered more than three acres. In addition to the Indian school, there were other buildings such as storehouses, forges, stables, gardens, pigpens and chicken houses. Several of the Siouan Indian tribes who banded together under the name Saponie moved to Fort Christanna. A teaching space based on the nearby historic Indian town was a recent recipient of the Common Wealth Award from the Garden Club of Virginia.
In 1928, the Colonial Dames of Virginia bought three and a half acres of land, the reputed site of the fort. They placed a monument on the grounds that was vandalized through the years. It was replaced by the present monument with cannon in the 1950s. Archaeological digs have provided information about the outlines of the palisade and life and trade there.
Directions: From Lawrenceville take Virginia Rte 46 south, go 2 mi., turn right onto Rte 686. The site will be about one mile on the right. Fort Christanna is open daily from sun up to sun down. It is on the official Virginia Wildlife and Birding Trail. For more information, contact Bev Hudson at (434) 848-4229 or Kay Outten at (434) 848-02773.