Historic Garden Week in Virginia - Richmond Tour Information

RICHMOND

INFORMATION CENTER:
The Kent-Valentine House
12 East Franklin Street
  Richmond, VA 23219
   Telephone (804) 644-7776
    FAX (804) 644-7778
    Website: www.VAGardenweek.org
    Email: gdnweek@verizon.net

The Kent-Valentine House is one of the most architecturally significant and visually prominent antebellum mansions in downtown Richmond. It was designed by Isaiah Rogers, a noted New England architect, in 1845 for Mr. and Mrs. Horace Kent. The house is the only remaining residential structure known to have been designed by this leader of the Greek Revival movement. Modified and enlarged by Mr. and Mrs. Granville Gray Valentine in 1904, this stately mansion occupies a quarter-block of historic Franklin Street in downtown Richmond.
The building has been preserved and the grounds landscaped by The Garden Club of Virginia. The Kent-Valentine House contains many lovely 18th and 19th century antiques and one of Virginia’s largest collections of bird and plant prints by 18th century naturalist Mark Catesby. The building has recently undergone a major renovation designed to preserve its distinctive character and enhance its use by club members and guests. This fine historic house is the headquarters of The Garden Club of Virginia and Historic Garden Week in Virginia. Guidebooks, brochures and Richmond tour tickets (cash or checks only) are available here. During Historic Garden Week, escorted tours of the house will be offered from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays, and refreshments will be served in the Gothic Revival style dining room. No admission fee. For information about rental of the Kent-Valentine House for meetings and special occasions, contact The Garden Club of Virginia’s Executive Director at director@gcvirginia.org or (804) 643-4137. Website: www.GCVirginia.org.

TICKETS: Full tickets $35 per day purchased in advance. Full tickets $40 per day purchased on tour day, $15 for single-site admission. See below for local advance ticket sale locations or access www.VAGardenweek.org to purchase tickets in advance, with a small service charge. Children 6-12, $20, children 5 and under, free admission. Minors 17 and younger must be accompanied by an adult. Full tickets for groups of 25 or more, $35. Tour bus groups may purchase Richmond tickets in advance from the Historic Garden Week office, 12 East Franklin Street, Richmond, VA 23219 (804) 644-7776. Please make checks payable to Historic Garden Week. Sorry, no credit card payments accepted, except in advance on-line at www.VAGardenweek.org. No refunds.

ADVANCE TICKET SALES: Full tickets $35 per day. Single-site tickets will not be sold in advance. Advance tickets will be sold until 12 noon, April 21, at the following locations: Coplon’s, River Rd. Shopping Center; Hampton House, 5720 Grove Ave.; J. Taylor Hogan, 308 Libbie Ave.; Kelley’s Gift Shop, 5601 Patterson Ave.; Kent-Valentine House, 12 East Franklin St.; Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, 1800 Lakeside Ave.; May Fair House at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 6000 Grove Ave.; Pink Palm, 6233 River Rd.; Plow and Hearth, 11639 West Broad St.; Rivah Flowers, 448 N. Ridge Rd.; Sneed’s Nursery and Garden Center, 8756 Huguenot Rd.; Tweed, 11743 West Broad St.; Williams and Sherrill, 203 Huguenot Rd.; The Virginia Center for Architecture, 2501 Monument Ave.; Yves Delorme, 9200 Stony Point Pkwy. Cash or checks only at ticket outlet locations. No credit cards and no refunds on advance tickets purchased locally. Cash or checks only, made payable to Historic Garden Week—Richmond. For an additional charge, tickets may be purchased in advance on-line with a credit card by accessing www.VAGardenweek.org beginning mid-February until the day before the tour ($35 plus service charge.)

TOUR DAY TICKETS: Full tickets $40 per day. Children 6-12, $20. Single-site admission $15 per location. Children 5 and younger, free of charge. Tickets may be purchased on tour day at any of the houses/gardens open for tour.

SPECIAL AFTER-TOUR ACTIVITIES: To celebrate Historic Garden Week, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden will have extended hours until 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 22, Wednesday, April 23, and Thursday, April 24. Guests are invited to drop in and chat with Garden hosts who can answer questions about horticulture and talk about “very Virginia” plants. The Garden will offer wine-tasting featuring Virginia wines, and the Garden Café will serve dinner. The Garden Shop will also be open. Garden admission is $10 adults; $9 seniors; $6 children ages 3 – 12; free for children under age 3. No admission required for the Garden Shop and Garden Café. Additional ticket required for wine-tasting. Regular Garden hours are 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily.

NOTE: Visitors to Richmond’s tours may also wish to take time to see nearby sites listed in the OTHER PLACES OF INTEREST section at the end of the April 24 Richmond tour section, including Agecroft Hall and Virginia House in Windsor Farms and Wilton and Maymont nearby.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR TOUR BUS GROUPS:
Directions: See information in the guidebook listed at the beginning of each day’s tour.

LUNCHEONS: Lunch will be available at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church on Tuesday, April 22, at Ginter Park Presbyterian Church on Wednesday, April 23, and at Agecroft Hall on Thursday, April 24. However, all require advance reservations. Please refer to the daily tour information in the guidebook for more details.

HAMPTON GARDENS
WALKING TOUR

Tuesday, April 22, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Sponsored by The Three Chopt Garden Club, The James River Garden Club, The Boxwood Garden Club and The Tuckahoe Garden Club of Westhampton
2008 Chairmen:
Alice Siegel (Mrs. John T.)
4910 Lockgreen Circle
Richmond, VA 23226
Telephone: (804) 254-2786
Email: alicecabellhs@aol.com

Lizzie Wallace (Mrs. Gordon W.)
18 South Wilton Road
Richmond, VA 23226
Telephone: (804) 288-2387
Email: junglefigh@aol.com

Nancy Williams (Mrs. Armistead M.)
7 Bridgeway Road
Richmond, VA 23226
Telephone: (804) 282-8806
Email: nanwilliams@comcast.net

2009 Chairmen:
Brenda Cain (Mrs. Ronald A.)
4701 Rolfe Road
Richmond, VA 23226
Telephone: (804) 358-3780
Email: bcain4710@aol.com

Lilliboo Cronly (Mrs. John H.)
101 W. Hillcrest Avenue
Richmond, VA 23226
Telephone: (804) 353-6800
Email: Ecronly@gmail.com

Betsy Trow (Mrs. Randolph E. Jr.)
15 Glenbrooke Circle West
Richmond, VA 23229
Telephone: (804) 282-4152
Email: Betsytrow@comcast.net

Transportation/Tour Bus Chairmen:
Carroll Andrews (Mrs. Christopher R.)
5101 Harlan Circle
Richmond, VA. 23226
Telephone: (804) 285-0880
Email: C2candrews@aol.com

Lindsay Wortham (Mrs. Coleman III)
2301 Monument Avenue
Richmond, VA 23220
Telephone: (804) 355-5467
Email: Lindsay@i2020.net

DIRECTIONS:
    From the west: From I-64, take exit 186 onto Rt. I-195 South (Powhite Parkway). Take the Cary Street Rd./Grove Ave. exit, bear to the right and follow signs to Grove Ave. Turn left onto Grove Ave. and continue west approximately 1.2 mi. to Oak Lane. The tour is on the right.
    From the north: From I-95 south, take exit 79 to I-195 South (Powhite Parkway). Take the Grove Ave. exit, bear to the right and follow signs to Grove Ave. Turn left onto Grove Ave. and continue west approximately 1.2 mi. to Oak Lane. The tour is on the right.

   From the south: From I-95 north, take exit 74 A onto I-195 (Downtown Expressway). Please note that this is a toll road. Follow signs and exits for Grove Ave. At the stop sign, turn right onto North Thompson St.   At light, turn right onto Grove Ave. Follow directions above.

   From the east: From I-64, take I-95 south to exit 74A onto I-195. Follow directions above.

PARKING: On-street parking will be available on Grove and Patterson Avenues with limited parking on neighboring streets in the tour area. Please avoid blocking driveways. This is a WALKING TOUR, and no shuttles will run the tour route today.

NOTE: This is a walking tour; the houses are within a 0.5 mi. area. As a courtesy to homeowners and for your safety, please wear flat walking shoes. A map of the tour area appears on the back of the Garden Day ticket and will indicate the location of restroom facilities. No interior photography or sketching, please, and no use of cell phones within the tour houses. Properties need not be visited in the order listed. The tour area is generally less crowded after lunch.

BUS INFORMATION: Coordinators of large bus tours are asked to call Lindsay Wortham at (804) 355-5467 for transportation instructions. Tour bus tickets ($35 per person) may be purchased in advance from the Historic Garden Week office, 12 E. Franklin St., Richmond, VA 23219, (804) 644-7776.

LUNCHEON: By reservation only. Enjoy a special box luncheon prepared by the women of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, May Fair House, 6000 Grove Ave., from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., $15. Please mail reservations by Tuesday, April 15, with check payable to May Fair House, and send to Eileen Walker (Mrs. William R., Jr.), 4407 Kensington Ave., Richmond, VA 23221. For questions please call Mrs. Walker at (804) 359-2227.

REFRESHMENTS: Refreshments will be served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., weather permitting, at 5101 Harlan Circle.

HAMPTON GARDENS

In 1915, Richmond businessman Abram L. McClellan purchased 98 acres of undeveloped farmland and formed the Hampton Gardens Corporation to develop the neighborhood, including a fine house for himself. In addition to the handsome examples of Tudor, Georgian and Federal revival style houses built here in the early 20th century, the original 1883 gatekeeper’s house from Greenway Farm is included in today’s tour.

310 OAK LANE. Characteristics of this lovely 1939 brick house, a steep Buckingham slate roof, prominent dentil molding and elaborate split-pediment door surround, are typical of Mid-Atlantic Georgian Revival architecture. Updated by Charlottesville architect Jay Dahlgleish and furnished with antiques, porcelain and fine art collected over generations, this is an elegant home for a modern family. Fine millwork extends throughout the interior, particularly in the bright, warm living room, with red toile curtains, a handsome highboy, Oriental rugs, Imari porcelain and a collection of cut glass. Soft-gold silk curtains and wallpaper cast a flattering glow in the dining room, with the original crystal chandelier, an English mahogany sideboard, circa 1800, old family silver and Canton porcelain. The white china cabinet was taken from “Lochlyn,” an old Charlottesville property, home to Thomas Jefferson descendants. Random-width, painted-pine panels cover the walls and ceiling of the family room, accommodating a large family dining area with trestle table, overlooking French doors to the garden. A striking white-painted china cabinet displays blue and white porcelain. The original galley kitchen has been recast as a butler’s pantry, and in the 1990s a new blue and white kitchen was added, where a collection of Hadley pottery is displayed.
Sheltered by a pergola, an outdoor dining patio of slate offers a view of the sparkling new swimming pool and hot tub. English laurel, quince, viburnum and a ‘Little Gem’ magnolia provide structure to established beds of peonies, Lenten roses, hydrangeas and daffodils. A large beech tree shades the area. Mr. and Mrs. David Craig Landin, owners.

Richmond—323 Oak Lane

323 OAK LANE. Lush beds of herbs, roses, peonies and perennials reminiscent of old-fashioned 19th century gardens provide a landscape befitting this handsome Norman-style house. Designed by Carl M. Lindner and built in 1928, the exterior features a distinctive curved turret and variegated slate roof, adding texture and color to the somber facade. Period craftsmanship is apparent in the rustic brickwork, wrought-iron, plaster and limestone details, inside and out. The curved front door was crafted by Baltimore shipwrights to fit the circular shape of the stairwell and foyer. To the south, a brick and slate wall shelters a delightful kitchen garden of honeysuckle and herbs with accents of blue lobelia.
Although 80 years old, the house is home to an active family who have updated the rooms with fresh colors and added new interior spaces and outside terracing. Shades of blue, from hydrangea and periwinkle to deep azures and navy, are used throughout the house. The secluded office is a rich palette of deep indigos and an attractive, quiet getaway for the owner. Accents of blue, in the furnishings, niches and portrait of the owners’ daughter over the limestone living room fireplace, echo the colors of the flowers in the garden.
A large and comfortable family room overlooks the garden planted with boxwood, George Tabor azaleas, hydrangeas, hellebores, poet’s laurel, daffodils and a Chinese elm. White crape myrtles from Berkeley Plantation are under-planted with blue scilla. A bluestone and brick entrance frames the gracefully curved dining terrace with comfortable furniture overlooking the gardens. Mr. and Mrs. T. Justin Moore III are the second owners of this property.

405 HARLAN CIRCLE. This stately brick house owes its youthful appeal to an extensive 2004 renovation and addition. After several years abroad, the owners returned to their 1932 Georgian Revival with art and furniture collected in Switzerland and France and went to work with architect Dan Ensminger to provide a proper setting. The result is an appealing blend of old and new. An antique Swiss secretary of walnut burl adds warmth to the living room, with its fresh palette of green silk and sunny paintings from France. Burnt-orange silk curtains in the dining room, with walls glazed a pale terracotta, cast a soft glow on the table and sideboard, made by Goochland craftsman Hunter Webb.
A large new butler’s pantry connects the old house to the new. This area is accented by handsome cabinets with heart-pine countertops, family portraits and Oriental rugs. A long, crescent-shaped bar made of concrete overlooks the work area of the kitchen, which features cherry cabinets and soapstone counters and an Italian tile backsplash above the range. The sunny new family room, in yellows and reds with limestone fireplace and extensive cabinetry, opens to the garden as does the sparkling octagonal breakfast room. Coral lamps by Dana Gibson on an antique chest of drawers brighten a back hall. A painted French china cabinet displays a collection of European pitchers. The inviting screened porch with a fountain and pine bead-board ceiling leads to the bluestone patio, outdoor dining area and gardens of herbs, spring bulbs and azaleas. Chip and Helen Nunley, owners.

400 HARLAN CIRCLE. A swing hanging from the sheltering oak tree in the front lawn hints at the family’s relaxed approach to enjoying this 1926 Georgian. The half-round portico leads to a broad, gracious foyer with curved staircase, where fine art and family portraits commingle with rustic furniture and a zebra rug. Art and pieces collected during extensive travel are displayed in the living room and throughout the house, in addition to works by local artists, including a painting by Sally Bowring in the living room. Whimsical sconces made from birdcages flank a window in the amethyst-colored den. This area leads to a family room decorated in shades of soft orange, lime green and brown. Marionettes collected in Nepal are displayed along with children’s art and “Absolutely Virginia,” a painting by Greig Leach.
Contemporary art and accessories put a fresh spin on old family pieces in the warm green dining room, which opens to a shady screened porch and a modern kitchen and bar with granite and butcher-block countertops. A focal point is the sunny, octagonal breakfast room with original china cabinets, cranberry lacquered chairs and a brightly painted sideboard by Sunny Goode. This cheerful area accesses the garden and outdoor dining terrace.
Roses and jasmine climb double pergolas bordering the garage, the backdrop to a flagstone patio featuring an antique urn. Semicircular hedges bracket established gardens, including a magnificent Japanese maple, dogwoods, magnolias, azaleas and daphne. An old fig tree anchors a perennial bed of irises, peonies and hydrangea, where honeysuckle climbs a rustic birdhouse. Mr. and Mrs. Geoffrey P. Sisk, owners.

316 GREENWAY LANE. All that remains of the late-18th century farm known as Greenway is this 1883 Italianate cottage with a romantic past. Originally the farm gatekeeper’s home, the white frame house with green tin roof resides on a lawn of clover, deep behind a picket fence. In the 1920s, ponies grazed here, as the headquarters of the Richmond Polo Club. Now this is the home of a modern family with a love of books, boats and travel and a deep respect for the past. An 1845 American ship’s figurehead welcomes visitors to the book-lined living room. Here is a gracious mix of travel souvenirs: a painting of Venice purchased there in 1905 by honeymooning grandparents, a vintage poker table from the Texas hill country, and African figurines and masks collected by both of the owners’ fathers in the 1960s.
Old cabinets were recycled in the harmonious 2002 kitchen renovation, which incorporates modern, retro and antique elements, including a painted Dutch “kaas,” circa 1800. The brick and slate courtyard with its “shanty” has an original gabled gate, and a hot tub sits under a row of cedar trees. An old wooden rowboat hangs from the side of the barn, which was built circa 1800. Lush gardens of boxwood, azaleas, hollies, crape myrtles, vitex and perennials are chemical-free. Jeff and Jana Thomas, owners.

304 GREENWAY LANE. A lovely copper-roofed portico provides a gracious welcome to this crisp, white-painted brick house. Built in 1937, the Federal Revival style house was remodeled in 2000, including the addition of a bright new kitchen and family room. The soft yellow glow of the foyer, with sparkling chandelier and gilt mirror, extends to the large living room with English antiques, fine art and lovely millwork. A 12-piece “Monkey Band” plays on the handsome fireplace, and collections of fine porcelain, including Imari, Old Paris, Staffordshire, Rockingham, Mottaheddah and Herend, are displayed throughout. A small den is furnished with pine furniture and art by the owner’s grandmother. The dining room of soft coral tones and silk curtains is furnished with English antiques, family silver, Imari and English porcelain. Fabric in the powder room suggests the motif of Old Paris porcelain displayed there.
A 19th century pine server features Staffordshire porcelain in the new family room and white marble kitchen. Large collections of Beatrix Potter figurines, 19th century botanical prints, watercolors and hunting prints add to the warmth of this family gathering room, which leads to the garden. A graceful pergola with wisteria shades the patio and overlooks a tranquil swimming pool. Anchored by mature magnolia, holly and water oak trees, beds of azaleas, hydrangeas, poet’s laurel, daphne and camellias provide a quiet retreat and a graceful setting befitting this family home. Mr. and Mrs. R. Walter Jones IV, owners.

TUCKAHOE PLANTATION, 12601 River Road (separate admission). From Richmond’s Tuesday tour area, turn west on Grove Ave. Follow to end, left on Three Chopt Rd. Turn right on Cary Street Rd. which bears right at the bottom of the hill to become River Rd. Follow River Rd. 7.5 mi. to entrance to Tuckahoe Plantation on the left. Especially for Historic Garden Week, the stately interior as well as the picturesque grounds of this historic plantation will be open to the public on Tuesday, April 22, $10 admission. The grounds will be open for self-guided tours on Wednesday and Thursday, April 23 and 24, $4 donation, and the house can be toured for an additional fee. Thomas Jefferson’s boyhood home and a National Historic Landmark, Tuckahoe has miraculously survived for nearly 275 years and is reputed to have the most complete 18th century plantation layout in North America. The white weather-boarded, two-story building gives the impression of two houses joined together by a center hall, all under a pitched roof. Rare outbuildings include the paired office and schoolhouse where Jefferson was educated as a young boy. Built by William Randolph between 1733-40, Tuckahoe contains some of the most important architectural ideas of the early Georgian period and features outstanding examples of early Georgian carving and paneling. The house is appropriately and beautifully furnished. In 1935, the late Mr. and Mrs. N. Addison Baker purchased the mansion to prevent it from being partially dismantled and moved away for museum display. Their daughter, Jessie Baker Thompson, and her husband, Dr. William Taliaferro Thompson, Jr., continued to oversee Tuckahoe’s preservation.
Surrounded by the rolling terrain of the Piedmont plain, Tuckahoe crests 649 acres along the James River. A long, cedar-lined lane, bordered by pastures and grazing cattle and horses, sets the stage for this history-laden home. Cutting and vegetable gardens, a kitchen garden, cemeteries, and a Memorial Garden designed by Charles F. Gillette are in close proximity to the house. The current owners have taken great pride in returning the landscape to styles that are representative of 18th and 19th century gardens that may have existed here. “Plantation Street” contains the old brick kitchen, slave quarters, a smokehouse and store house. Tuckahoe has been an “on-location” site for several films in the past. It is owned by Mrs. Thompson’s children and grandchildren and is currently the home of Mr. and Mrs. Addison Baker Thompson.

HISTORIC RICHMOND FOUNDATION
SEMINARY AVENUE
WALKING TOUR

Co-sponsored by the Council of Historic Richmond Foundation and
The Garden Club of Virginia
Wednesday, April 23, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Chairman
Susan Sprinkle (Mrs. Philip)
205 Lock Lane
Richmond, VA 23226
Telephone (804) 358-7770
Email phillip.sprinkle@comcast.net

TICKETS: Advance tickets, $35 per person may be purchased until noon April 21 or via www.VAGardenweek.org. Price on tour day is $40 per person, single-site admission, $15. Children 13 and older, full price; ages 6-12, half-price ($20); ages 5 and under, free of charge. Tickets may be purchased on the day of the event at any of the houses on tour. Children younger than age 17 must be accompanied by an adult. Tour bus tickets ($35 per person) may be purchased in advance from the Historic Garden Week office, 12 E. Franklin St., Richmond, VA 23219, (804) 644-7776.

LUNCHEON: Basket lunches will be served to benefit Ginter Park Presbyterian Church, 3601 Seminary Ave., from 11:30 a.m. until 2 p.m., $15. Advance reservations are strongly encouraged. Make advance reservations by April 16 by calling 804-359-5049 or mailing to Ginter Park Presbyterian Church, 3601 Seminary Ave., Richmond, VA 23227. Please make checks payable to Ginter Park Presbyterian Church with a notation for Garden Week Luncheon. No confirmations will be mailed. Tickets are to be picked up at the door.

REFRESHMENTS: Served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., weather permitting, in the garden at 3501 Seminary Ave., home of Rebecca and Kevin Dodson.

NOTE: This is a walking tour. Please wear appropriate flat-heeled shoes to allow for uneven surfaces and to protect floors. Not interior photography, sketching or cell phone use. For lunch patrons, restrooms are available at the Ginter Park Presbyterian Church. Houses need not be visited in the order listed. The tour area is generally less crowded after lunch.

PARKING: Parking is available at Ginter Park Baptist Church, at 1200 Wilmington Ave. (Laburnum and Brook Roads), and at Ginter Park Presbyterian Church at 3601 Seminary Ave. (Walton and Brook Roads.)

DIRECTIONS TO TOUR AREA: From the north: Driving south on I-95, take exit 82 (Chamberlayne Ave.) and continue south on Chamberlayne through the traffic light at Laburnum Ave. Take the next right onto Walton Ave. and another right onto Seminary Ave.

From the west: Driving east on I-64, take exit 186, Laburnum Ave. and the Powhite Parkway. Keep to the far right and exit to Laburnum. At the bottom of the exit ramp take a left onto Laburnum. Continue on Laburnum through lights and past the A.P. Hill monument. Cross Brook Rd. Take the next right on Seminary Ave.

From south and east: Driving north on I-95 or west on I-64 (the two routes merge in Richmond for a mile), take exit 78 (Boulevard) and turn right onto Hermitage at the end of the exit ramp. This stretch of Hermitage Rd. ends at Brookland Parkway. Turn right onto Brookland Parkway and continue to the traffic light at Brook Rd. In a few blocks you will pass Union Theological Seminary on your right. One block north of the seminary, turn right on Walton Ave. Go one block and turn left onto Seminary.

Driving north on the Powhite Parkway: follow signs for I-95 and Washington, DC, and take the Laburnum Ave. exit immediately before the Powhite Parkway merges with I-95 and I-64. At the bottom of the exit ramp, turn right onto Laburnum Ave. Continue through the traffic light at Brook Rd. and take the next right onto Seminary Ave.

SEMINARY AVENUE

Major Lewis W. Ginter, wealthy Richmond industrialist and entrepreneur, conceived and planned Ginter Park in the late-19th century. Ginter first became successful in the dry goods business and later founded the American Tobacco Company. In the 1880s on a business trip to Melbourne, Australia, with his niece Grace Arents, he was impressed by the retreat of the Australian businessmen to their country estates at the end of the work day. According to lore, he felt traveling north-south in the afternoon made more sense than east-west, with the sun’s glare in one’s eyes. Thus, Ginter Park, north of downtown Richmond, was born.
The 21-block area known as Ginter Park is among Richmond’s first planned developments. Major Ginter acquired farm land from families whose names often appear as street names, Walton and Rennie to name two. He also purchased individual tracts owned by Frank Chamberlayne, William Young, John Brotherwood and others. A 1782 white frame farmhouse owned by the Rennie and Williams families stands today at 3207 Seminary Avenue in a grove of trees, with its front portion dating from 1820 to 1840.
The first buildings constructed in Ginter Park were weatherboard and German-sided workers’ cottages erected on “Cottage Avenue” in 1895. Major development of the area began with the move of Union Theological Seminary from Hampden Sydney College in Farmville to 12 acres at the intersection of Westwood and Brook Turnpike (Road). Watts Hall, designed by architect Charles H. Read, Jr., was built in 1896. Early residents of the Ginter Park of 1900 described the early days as “pioneer days,” without electricity, sidewalks or other amenities. Soon however, “accompanying the fine roads, shady walks, hedges and elegant houses, came streetcars and water works, the drainage and sewer systems and other necessities which make the section so desirable a site for suburban homes,” according to a real estate brochure of the day. Lakeside Wheel and Country Club, also developed by Lewis Ginter, was a popular destination along the Ginter Park trolley line. Clubs, schools, a recreational center and several churches defined the community which also had its own newspaper. Ginter Park was incorporated into a township of its own in 1912. John Garland Pollard served as mayor and went on to be governor of Virginia (1930.) The City of Richmond annexed Ginter Park from Henrico County in 1914, at which time the home addresses were re-numbered.
Seminary Avenue, at the heart of the area, has retained most of its ambiance of the turn of the last century with its shade trees, large lawns and more than 300 architecturally diverse single-family dwellings that established Ginter Park as a whole as “Queen of the Suburbs.”

3012 SEMINARY AVENUE. An American foursquare 1907 Colonial Revival, this house was painted a cheerful yellow by the current owners who purchased it in 1996. The formerly grey exterior and neutral interior have been transformed into a panoply of color and whimsy, with a teal-green, bead-board family room ceiling, a jewel-toned dining room, and “Tiffany box” blue front porch ceiling to ward off wasps as well as ghosts. The current owners also have a penchant for finding unusual, functional items and using them to give their home personality and warmth. The odd-sized, handsomely carved kitchen door leading to the deck was found at an area antique store. Remarkably, it fit the space perfectly. Its etched-glass scene, a hunter returning home with game, functions as an eye-catching work of art in an unexpected setting. Additionally, none of the first-floor lighting fixtures are original to the home, but have personal significance. The living room crystal chandelier was seen by Mrs. Ernoff at a bed and breakfast in the Shenandoah Valley. She offered to purchase it, and left her phone number. Two years later the proprietor called to say that if she still wished, she could buy it, which she did immediately. The back hall sconces and the hanging, glass dining room fixture came from Mr. Ernouff’s mother. The dining room’s deep watermelon walls are home to a collection of Flow Blue china with an accompanying mirrored and colorfully tiled sideboard.
Outside, the backyard with pool continues the personal warmth of the interior, with a charming bird house and birdbath collection bordering the driveway, a small fish pond and an eclectic, colorful parade of plant life: money plants, hosta, Kousa dogwood, Jasmine, Rose of Sharon, passion vine and hibiscus. While the current owners’ structural renovations are limited to pouring a new cement slab for the front porch and updating the swimming pool, they have definitely transformed this property into a delightfully personal sanctuary. Mr. and Mrs. Edward Ernouff, owners

3013 SEMINARY AVENUE. The spacious, tin-roofed, wrap-around porch of this 1915 house seems made to welcome home an American soldier from World War I. It continues to be the scene of many a warm family gathering, as today this serves as a play space for the owners’ young daughter as well as a grandstand from which to view the numerous flowering trees and shrubs on the half-acre lot. Beyond the tracery of the beautiful elliptical fanlight doorway is an open and welcoming floor plan decorated with many of the owner’s original paintings as well as her curtain designs. During mid-century, however, the home’s entrance was not so open. A wall dividing the house into two apartments extended upward just beyond the banister to the second floor. Letters from former residents describe a tight and cluttered front room at that time. However, one similarity remains: a piano was placed in exactly the position as that chosen by the current owners. The front hall also contains one of the artist/owner’s most prized early finds: a Charles and Ray Eames wooden screen she discovered and purchased as a child at a church bazaar. Her early inclination toward collecting and the arts led her to a degree in painting from the College of William and Mary and is manifested in her oil paintings over the living room fireplace, in the bookcase, and throughout the home.
In 2003-2006 former owners Heather and Harry Turton extensively renovated the house. They rebuilt the dining room fireplace to be in keeping with those original to the residence, added dining room wainscoting, and remodeled the kitchen with period details such as oak cabinetry, tessellated floor tile and marble counters. The current owner needed only to add personal, mostly French decorative details, such as Soleiado fabric and a small oil painting given to her by a fellow artist while in France, to complete the kitchen and make it her own. Among the many paintings on the first floor is a handsome oil of boats above the family room fireplace by noted Virginia landscape painter and family member, Lee Baskerville. Mr. and Mrs. Mark Van Deusen, owners.

3015 SEMINARY AVENUE. Designed for Dr. Wyndham Blanton by William C. Noland, architect of the exedra of the Davis Memorial on Monument Avenue as well as many other classically inspired Richmond buildings, this 1922 Colonial Revival brick and slate exemplifies the good taste and proportions characteristic of the era. Upon leaving the string courses, keystones and handsome oak front door (newly installed by the owners) to enter the front hall, visitors are greeted by a visual feast: an open entrance hall filled with fine art and sculpture; a beautiful staircase; a view of the warm family room; and a stunning dining room chandelier of Italian hand-blown Murano glass, purchased by the owner in Atlanta. The chandelier is but one of the many outstanding pieces of art collected by the Traubs in their travels. Note the cityscape of Times Square by Italian painter Luigi Rocca, the wonderful Inuit sculpture “Dancing Bear,” and the representational oil of Shockoe Slip recently commissioned by San Francisco artist Naubo Tanaka. The house was previously owned by a Richmond decorator who created openness by removing the living room wall. This owner also commissioned the dramatic floor-to-ceiling, tortoise-shell faux finish and built-in entertainment cabinet in the sunken library. Framed original plans by Noland can be seen in the library bookcase. While the previous owner left his impact in the library, the Traubs may be credited with an extremely successful kitchen re-do combining Mexican tiles, shiva chachi granite, cherry cabinets, stainless steel sub-zero, and textured glass for a classically contemporary look. Their backyard landscaping includes constructing the brick serpentine wall to incorporate a charming, vintage wrought-iron gate with a harp motif, and planting the leyland Cyprus and cryptomeria border. A yew hedge creates a formal garden. Dr. Blanton hand-built much of the brick wall to the right of the backyard. The Traubs have added their special touch in the wonderful brick side terrace with hot tub, shaded fountain and classical statue of Diana. Mr. and Mrs. David Traub, owners.

3209 SEMINARY AVENUE. At almost a century old, this 1910 pale-yellow clapboard grande dame has experienced many stages of a life well-lived. Originally clad across the front in a lovely full-length porch supported by fluted square pilasters, she has slipped into something more comfortable in her later years: lacy ornamental ironwork on the portico, porte cochere and back porch. This ornamental iron, called “the wonder of the Victorian Age” by architectural historian John Sledge, ties her to Southern and Victorian architectural antecedents and was added mid-century. Hydrangeas once lined the front porch, their vestige seen in the two remaining hydrangeas at the front corners of the house, planted by the current owners. A small semi-circular cement walkway suggests days of the leisurely “promenade.” Two lovely, large Japanese maples on either side of the yard would be focal points of such an exercise.
Inside, Adam details such as the graceful fanlight above the shuttered front door, 11-foot ceilings and the stunning Palladian window in the dining room add uncommon character. Pocket doors remain in the left front parlor, but have been covered in the right for insulation against winter draughts. The current owners, who purchased the house in 1999 from the Moore family, added air conditioning to the second and third floor, as well as a new HVAC system to the first. They also added the large Virginia Metalcrafters front-hall light fixture, re-tiled the laundry room floor in period, black and white tile, and made kitchen improvements. The breakfast room off of the kitchen at one time served as a porch and also as the previous owner’s home for beloved household pets. Outside, an English boxwood garden original to the house may have been part of the neighboring 1753 farmhouse. In all, this home’s numerous changes make a visitor wonder wistfully, “If these walls could talk...” Mr. and Mrs. Paul Hamer, owners.

3214 SEMINARY AVENUE. The front porch warmly invites you into this early 1900s Federal-style home of rusticated limestone. The house features original lead-pane glass over the front door, double parlors, pocket doors and four coal-burning fireplaces (two upstairs, two down). As you enter, imagine being greeted by a ten-foot-tall Christmas tree that has traditionally been placed in the hallway by each of the three families who have previously owned this home. You will note the beautiful heart-pine flooring which was uncovered and restored throughout the interior in 1995. The owners’ Victorian-era glass collection and choice of cranberry-colored paint enliven the dining room to the right of the entrance hall. To the left, the parlor offers a quaint conversation space around the fireplace and leads to the original dining room that is now enjoyed nightly as the family gathering place. Previous owners added the back hallway half-bath in 1995, but the current owners improved it in 1995 by enlarging the space and by updating fixtures and decor. In 2004, a kitchen remodeling included midnight-blue granite, cherry cabinets and a French-inspired stainless-steel oven hood featured on the original exposed brick chimney wall. While renovating the kitchen, the owners lifted layers of linoleum and were pleased to find original pine floors underneath which, refinished, add to the warmth and sophistication of this room.
The garden of the half-acre lot owes much to Mrs. Saneda’s employment at Luck Stone Corporation: bluestone patio, cobblestone edging, historic Richmond brick walkways, and a stone garden pond with waterfall were all designed and installed by the owners. Mature crape myrtles, original to the site, provide welcome shade in the charming seating areas. Holly, hydrangea, dwarf Japanese maple and an enormous Budlea grace the lot. Mr. and Mrs. Chris Saneda, owners.

Richmond—3501 Seminary Avenue

3501 SEMINARY AVENUE. This D. Wiley Anderson home, built in 1908 for Thomas Gresham, assumes a place of prominence on Seminary Avenue as one of the noted architect’s most physically imposing and gracious designs. Its columns are reputed to be the largest un-seamed granite columns on the East Coast, and were a fitting entrance to the home of the Vice President of Wise Granite Company. Gresham also had lumber interests. Mahogany paneling, pocket doors and wainscoting decorate the front right parlor, while anodyne-stained birch and other woods continue through the hallway, formal dining room and stairway leading to the second floor. A Gilded Age stained-glass window decorates the stairway landing. The three-armed candelabra on the stairs originally hung in the formal dining room. In the ladies’ parlor, a white marble fireplace surround and a classical bas relief of nymphs and friends of Bacchus adds to the femininity of the room. An elaborate painted mural originally decorated the ceiling but has since been painted over.
The house was formerly owned by Union Theological Seminary, and the Dodsons are the first family to live here in 50 years. In 2003 using old photographs, they renovated the kitchen, returning it to its period elegance with wide muntins, brushed-nickel fixtures, cream paint palette, ladder and ladder rails. Off the kitchen in the scullery room is an original heart-pine cabinet made by Ruffin and Payne marked ‘Gresham house.’ Photographs of Ginter Park from the Valentine Museum show the home and neighborhood in its infancy.
Outside, the slate patio installed by the owners allows views of the one-and-a-half-acre lot. Hydrangea, canalillies, boxbush, nandina, skip laurel, daylilies and an enormous Diadora cedar stand between the house and the garage. This house was open in 1997 as the Symphony Designer home and in 2006 for the Ginter Park Harvest House tour. Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Dodson, owners

3600 SEMINARY AVENUE. In eight years, the current owners have stripped, plumbed, electrified, repaired, relined (fireplaces), refinished and repainted almost every square foot of this magnificent 1907 Colonial Revival home. A treasure definitely worth saving, with its broken ogee “Westover” window crowns, the house was built by Anastasia Kent, daughter of former Lt. Governor Robert Craig, in the (then) new Ginter Park. The Kent family owned it for the next 40 years. The current residents are only the fourth owners outside of the family. In the front hall, they stripped and sealed the oak and mahogany inlay floor; painted the diamond faux-finish on the hallway walls, a treatment which extends to the second floor; repaired the ceilings; and added recessed lighting. To improve flow on the first floor, they added a doorway from the den into the kitchen, where cherry cabinets (designed by the owner’s cousin), stainless appliances and a tumbled-marble backsplash give a sense of solidity echoed by rest of the home. In addition to structural attention, great care has been taken in design choices, from wall colors to fine art and furnishings throughout. In the living room a beautiful painting of the Chemung River in Corning, New York, by Tom Gardiner adorns the fireplace. To the right, an interior scene of this house, done in 2003 by Washington, D.C. painter Brett Busang, has captured the front hall mirror and doorway much as it appears today. Two small Loryn Brazier garden scenes hang in the living room as well. Another of Busang’s works, “Mayo Bridge,” is featured in the dining room beyond the fluted Ionic columns. The den displays a Busang, titled “North of Brook Road,” painted in 2002 when the artist lived in the neighborhood. The butler’s pantry houses a copper sink and washboard original to the house.
Outside, preservation and innovation meet as well in a recent re-landscaping which has retained the large male Ginkgo tree, dogwoods and a huge fern oak from the front yard. Crape myrtles border the street side in the rear, and an oyster-shell/stone walkway leads strollers to enjoy the perennial bed. A patio and pergola add space and shade for entertaining in a yard enjoyable in all seasons. Mr. Rick Fox and Mr. Owen Sharman, owners

3604 SEMINARY AVENUE. Themes in this stucco-over frame Egyptian Revival vernacular house include the delightful reflections of British explorer, cultured art enthusiast and historian. Built in 1906, when revivalist styles permeated American architecture, subtle Egyptian details appear in the columns flanking the front doorway and in two geometric transom designs, vestiges of the original, more overtly “Egyptian” doorway. Inside, 11-foot ceilings, original maple flooring, gilded plaster garlands over doors and windows, and a long case clock (circa 1783) in the center hall welcome visitors. In the living room, the current owners have closed off the passage to the left of the fireplace to create a bookcase for their Staffordshire and other collectibles. Natives of South Africa, they enjoy collecting art. Their home contains Ashcan School etchings by Americans John Sloan and John Marin; etchings by Edward Hopper and Rockwell Kent; and woodblock prints by South African artist Pierneef. A Boer War collection is housed primarily in the library beyond the living room. A framed poster in the back hall depicts political figures from 1890s France. The kitchen, remodeled by previous owners, has concrete counters, maple cabinetry, and a prized English sideboard with an 18th century base and an Arts and Crafts top, which descended through the family of Mrs. Chettle. Colorful railway prints allude to the couple’s life of travel as well as to their daughter’s place of work, the CSX railroad system.
Displayed in the dining room dining room are porcelains of Admiral Napier and British General Kitchener, a Wedgwood pitcher decorated with cameos of both Washington and Franklin, and most surprising of all, a porcelain depicting Abraham Lincoln on horseback. In the same room, a contemporary black metal Catherine Widgery sculpture of a businessman sprinting with his briefcase is placed in front of the large front window. This may be a humorous nod to the owner’s 19 years as a busy Washington, DC attorney.
Outside, original English boxwood, crape myrtle and viburnum divide the yard into two allees. Beyond what may be Richmond’s only Egyptian Revival garage is a yard sensitively and beautifully designed for thoughtful conversation, relaxation and the discussion of travels at home and abroad. Mr. and Mrs. John Chettle, owners

WINDSOR FARMS
WALKING TOUR

Thursday, April 24, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Sponsored by The Three Chopt Garden Club, The James River Garden Club, The Boxwood Garden Club and The Tuckahoe Garden Club of Westhampton
TOUR CHAIRMEN: See Guidebook for a list of tour chairmen and bus chairmen for Richmond’s April 22 and 24 tours.
TICKETS: Tickets will be available on tour day at any of the properties open. See Guidebook for pricing, advance tickets and other information.

DIRECTIONS:
      From the west: From I-64, take exit 186 onto Rt. I-195 South (Powhite Pkwy). Take the Cary Street Rd./Grove Ave. exit and follow signs to Cary Street Rd. Turn right onto Cary Street Rd. and travel west approximately 0.2 mi to Canterbury Rd. Turn left on Canterbury Rd. Follow Canterbury Rd bearing right onto Sulgrave Rd. into the tour area. Parking is available at Agecroft Hall (4305 Sulgrave Rd.)
    From the north: From I-95 south, take exit 79 to I-195 South (Powhite Pkwy). Take the Cary Street Rd./Grove Ave. exit and follow signs to Cary Street Rd. Continue with directions as above.
     From the south: From I-95 north, take exit 74A onto I-195 (Downtown Expressway). Please note that this is a toll road. Follow signs to Cary Street Rd. /Floyd Ave exit (West 147). Turn right onto North Thompson St. Turn right onto Cary Street Rd. Proceed 0.3 mi to Canterbury Rd. and turn left. Follow directions above.
     From the east: From I-64, take I-95 south to exit 74A onto I-195. Follow directions above.

PARKING: Parking will be available at Agecroft Hall (4305 Sulgrave Rd.) with limited parking on neighboring streets in the tour area. Please avoid blocking driveways. This is a WALKING TOUR, and no shuttles will run the tour route today.

NOTE: This is a walking tour;the houses are within a 0.6 mi. area. As a courtesy to homeowners and for your safety, please wear flat walking shoes. Restroom facilities will be available at the Virginia House (4301 Sulgrave Rd.) and in the tour area. A map of the tour area, including restroom facilities, appears on the back of the Garden Day ticket. No interior photography or sketching, please, and no use of cell phones within the tour houses. Properties need not be visited in the order listed. The tour area is generally less crowded after lunch.

BUS INFORMATION: Coordinators of large bus tours are asked to call Carroll Andrews (Mrs. Christopher R.), (804) 285-0880, for transportation instructions. Tour bus tickets ($35 per person) may be purchased in advance from the Historic Garden Week office, 12 E. Franklin St., Richmond, VA 23219, (804) 644-7776.

BUS PARKING: Tour bus parking will be available at Agecroft Hall (4305 Sulgrave Rd.). Look for signs.

LUNCHEON: By reservation only. Enjoy a selection of delicious box lunches at Agecroft Hall, 4305 Sulgrave Rd, from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., $15. Menu choices are posted on www.agecrofthall.com, and the lunch ticket includes free admission to the beautiful gardens of Agecroft Hall. Please mail reservations, along with menu choice, by Monday, April 14. Make check payable to Agecroft Association and send to Jennifer Paton, 4305 Sulgrave Rd., Richmond, VA 23221. No confirmations will be mailed. Tickets are to be picked up at the door. For questions, please call Jennifer Paton at (804) 353-4241.

REFRESHMENTS: Refreshments will be served at the Virginia House, 4301 Sulgrave Rd. from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

WINDSOR FARMS

Windsor Farms was established on the banks of the historic James River in 1926, designed originally to resemble an English village. Agecroft Hall, a 15th century English manor house, and the Virginia House, which originated in the 12th century in Warwick, England, as a priory, in addition to most of the properties on Thursday’s tour, were among the first houses built in the neighborhood. The designs of Charles Gillette, one of the region’s pre-eminent landscape architects of the 20th century, profoundly influenced the appearance of Windsor Farms and many of the gardens open here today.

108 TONBRIDGE ROAD. Built in 1941 and freshly restored by its current owners, this striking example of neoclassical architecture was designed by Ernest R. Gilbert. The high style of the exterior follows inside with rooms of dramatic proportions, curved walls and fluted columns. A floating staircase of circular design with wrought-iron balustrade graces the large entry foyer, which features a handsome pair of old mirrors from the nearby Windsor estate and an antique case clock. French doors flank a large fireplace in the sunken living room, with coped ceiling, soft-yellow curved walls, and antiques and porcelain collected by the owners. A mid-20th century bomb shelter has been recast as a small den, with mahogany cabinets and French doors opening to the garden.
A cozy pine-paneled library with fireplace leads from the foyer to the new kitchen, where marble-topped cabinets have been restored to the soft aqua color of the original kitchen. A banquet-sized antique copper gratin rests on the island, made of walnut from the owners’ family farm. Two charming built-in niches in the hexagonal breakfast room showcase an extensive collection of black and white English transferware. An antique walnut server bears a soup tureen once owned by Lady Astor, a Virginian by birth. The large dining room decorated in shades of red and gold overlooks a flagstone terrace.
No less striking than the house is the garden, with double-barrel vaulted pergolas and a large central fountain, boxwood and a lovely side garden with herbs and peonies. Open for Historic Garden Week for the first time by Mr. and Mrs. Michael G. Miller, owners.

204 NOTTINGHAM ROAD. Nottingham Road is distinguished by a graceful allee of Linden trees, a setting befitting this elegant Georgian Revival house and beautiful gardens. Built in 1931 of 19th century brick with a wing added a few years later, the residence was designed by Richmond architect Clarence Huff. The owners live and entertain amid a collection of American, English and Asian antiques, art and porcelains. An entry hall of silk grass-cloth, American antiques and Chinese silk prints provides a gracious reception. A striking 18th century Scottish sideboard stands in the dining room, which is lined with hand-painted 19th century English wallpaper; a pair of cast-plaster corner cupboards displays fine family china. In the living room, a 17th century Kang table blends harmoniously with 18th and 19th century American furniture and paintings. The south stair hall bears a rich and varied collection of art. Old family portraits keep watch over heirlooms in the gum-paneled library, including a Frothingham high chest. The guest bedroom features a Duncan Phyfe bedstead, a Chippendale serpentine chest of drawers, an early 19th century sleigh bed, and a Queen Anne bonnet-top secretary bookcase.
The Italian marble-tiled sunroom, featuring art by old and modern masters and a pair of 17th century Kang tables, overlooks a garden and terrace of old brick. Old box elder and sugar maple trees shelter an expansive lawn bordered with white and pastel azaleas, large photinia and crape myrtles. Dr. and Mrs. Herbert A. Claiborne, owners.

212 NOTTINGHAM ROAD (garden only.) A classic Charles Gillette design, the grounds of this 1929 Tudor Revival style house are among the loveliest in Windsor Farms. A wrought-iron gate leads to the small, charming side garden with fountain, where visitors step into a stunning landscape of geometric patterns. An acre of gardens, articulated by brick walkways and lush beds, the property is centered on a quiet fishpond and fountain. Each pathway leads to another delight: Pan playing in a rose arbor, a spectacular cherry tree, reflecting pool, armillary or colorful bed, all converging on four parterres surrounding the fountain.
Old fruit trees, mature camellias, boxwoods, hollies, azaleas and various evergreens lend structure to beds of tulips, irises and perennials. The farthest point of the central axis terminates at a sparkling new swimming pool, blending seamlessly with the original Gillette design. Dr. and Mrs. Charles L. Baird, owners.

217 NOTTINGHAM ROAD. An outstanding example of Georgian Revival architecture, this house was completed in 1939 for Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Baskervill and designed by Baskervill and Son. Distinguished by tall, arched windows on the ground story and a tri-partite façade articulated by elegant brick quoins, some of the exterior details have Federal-era refinement. Fine millwork extends throughout the house, from the paneled staircase and wainscot of the front hall, furnished with French antiques, to the richly paneled library of heart pine with dentil molding. Collections of old needlepoint pillows, Staffordshire porcelain, and English and Continental antiques furnish the living room, which opens to the walled garden. An antique lacquer cabinet stands between tall windows in the soft-red dining room.
The handsome new kitchen and breezeway were added in 2006, including cabinets of alder wood, limestone floors, antique Delft tile detail, and 18th century Faience pottery and lavaboes. A collection of antique Delft and Staffordshire porcelain extends to the elegant library, with French, Italian and Chinese antique furniture. The library and a fresh new sunroom with 19th century oil paintings, antique furniture and Heriz rug overlook the Gillette gardens.
A brick terrace steps out to mature gardens with old magnolias, dogwood and cedar trees. Azaleas, boxwoods and crape myrtles line a delightful walled garden with reflecting pool and fountain of brick and bluestone. The lawn is broken by quadrants of tulips and pink roses, and a brick garden house overlooks a parterre of tulips and boxwood. Beds of hellebores, mahonia, camellias and hydrangeas flourish in the shade of old hardwoods. Beverly and Tom Harris, owners.

4608 SULGRAVE ROAD. This elegant Georgian Revival house, designed originally by Carl M. Lindner in 1933 for Mr. and Mrs. Charles S. Luck, Jr., has had a renovation generous in scale but graceful in effect. Mature crape myrtles planted at the foundation both soften and lend drama to the old façade, and the new conservatory, pool and guest wing blend in seamlessly. Eclectic collections of fine art and family pieces, antiques from America, England and the Orient, Inuit carvings and prints, and Oushak rugs sparkle in light-filled rooms overlooking terraces, gardens and pool. A fresh new kitchen with potting room features Mexican tile, delightful barnyard wallpaper, and countertops of granite and heart pine. The sun-filled conservatory connects the sunroom to a pool house of hospitable proportion, with a separate kitchen for poolside entertaining, beautiful guestrooms and a wainscoted music room. High ceilings provide for a striking brick fireplace and chimney in the kitchen and a sweeping view of the pool.
Timeless old gardens harmonize with new bluestone terracing and pool surround, blending gently with Charles Gillette’s original design for the property. A wisteria-covered pergola shelters outdoor dining, overlooking lawns and brick-walled gardens of roses, peonies, columbine and primroses, boxwoods, crape myrtles, magnolias and hollies. A guardian angel watches over the fishpond and beds of hellebores, hostas and azaleas. Bluestone walkways meander among the kitchen garden of herbs, perennials and a magnificent Japanese maple. A “tattooed” beech tree stands guard by the street.

Richmond—4603 Sulgrave Road

4603 SULGRAVE ROAD. Behind magnificent wrought-iron gates bearing the name Garland stands a grand English manor house on a hillside overlooking the historic James River. Painstakingly constructed between 1926 and 1931, this Tudor Revival is distinguished by architectural elements taken from houses actually built in the Tudor period. Tudor Revival coincides with the heavy influence of English vernacular and medieval architecture on the Arts and Crafts movement in America, resulting in the extraordinary craftsmanship seen in this house. Designed by Henry G. Morse of Essex Falls, New Jersey, Garland shares much of its craftwork with Virginia House and Agecroft Hall, two nearby mansions also of early English origin in this Windsor Farms neighborhood.
Architectural elements taken from properties in England and Scotland date to the 16th and 17th centuries and suggest ecclesiastical origins. A statue of Saint Joan tops the gable over the front entry, and it is believed that elements of the heavy oak door and oriel window above it may have been taken from a monastery. Inside, the entry hall and staircase bear woodcarvings more than 400 years old, including one depicting Saint Catherine and her books, dated 1584. The hand of the craftsman is evident throughout: ornamental pargeting in the crown molding and splendid ceilings, as well as extraordinary examples of linen-fold woodwork in the interiors, and on the outside, multi-paned tinted windows, elaborate chimneys and chimney pots, patterned brick and stonework and gables of varying detail. Fireplaces, one bearing a 1606 date, feature limestone surrounds and elaborate paneling and mantelpieces imported from Tudor buildings. Family antiques mingle with pieces collected by the owners, including a fine assortment of old silver.
The slate terrace, overlooking an elliptical swimming pool and gardens designed by Charles Gillette, is a favorite site for family weddings. Boxwood, azaleas, fairy roses, crape myrtles and perennials are sheltered by centuries-old oaks and tulip poplars. Dr. and Mrs. Peter Wilcox Brown, owners.

4300 SULGRAVE ROAD. Handsome wrought-iron gates and a cobblestone courtyard welcome visitors to this striking 1959 Georgian Revival modeled after Westover, a stately 18th century plantation on the lower James River. The formality of the facade is honored in Charles Gillette’s original plan for the gardens, and subsequent improvements maintain his vision. Progressions of interconnected garden rooms are separated by hedges, a serpentine wall, and brick, wrought-iron and Chippendale fences. These various garden areas temper the scale of the property and provide a variety of moods and opportunities for entertaining.
Sheltered by old pines, maples and hollies, an elegant bronze fountain stands over a reflecting pool to the west of the house. Chippendale railing and brick walkways lined with boxwood and hydrangea provide the structure for a charming kitchen garden. This area is filled with climbing roses and beds of irises, baptisia, herbs and other perennials. The limestone terrace, with dramatic arched pergola and fountain, offers a delightful setting for outside dining and overlooks a sculpture garden with original Kenneth Lynch statuary, mature crape myrtles and hellebores.
Jasmine on a serpentine wall encloses the hidden swimming pool garden. A crescent-shaped pool house with pagoda roof stands among ferns, climbing hydrangeas and a splendid Japanese maple, attending the elliptical pool with limestone surround and fountain. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas E. Capps, owners.

307 STOCKTON LANE. Centuries-old handmade brick, wide poplar floorboards, a stair rail of Virginia black walnut, and extraordinary millwork are but a few of the components of this late-18th century Amelia County house, dismantled in 1927 and reassembled here as the residence of Lizzie Edmunds Boyd. Miss Boyd bequeathed The Oaks to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts upon her death in 1975, and it now serves as home to the museum’s director Alex Nyerges and his wife Kathryn, who are not only residents but also stewards of this important example of the classic Southern plantation house.
Built by the Harrison family, The Oaks remained in their hands until 1839 and was their residence until shortly before it was sold, when it served as a schoolhouse for boys. More than one 19th century lad has left his mark on the walnut newel post in the library.
The Virginia Historic Landmarks Commission has described The Oaks as “a dwelling of considerable quality with fabric of considerable architectural interest. Of importance is its interior woodwork…most notable are the impressive architectural mantels…of such large scale and elaboration.” Woods throughout the house were native to Amelia County and include heart of pine, ash, poplar and walnut. Of particular interest are the graceful stair with turned balusters and molded handrail in Virginia walnut, the distinctive three-foot-wide poplar wainscoting, and hand-carved baseboards. The family dining area and terrace, designed by Joseph D. Lahendro, was added in 2003.
Southern American antique furniture includes an exceptionally handsome 18th century walnut secretary likely from North Carolina and two pieces of Virginia origin, an imposing walnut corner cabinet and a turned gate-leg table, both 18th century. These fine old American furnishings mingle gracefully with the Nyerges’ collection of Chinese antiques.
The Oaks, settled graciously into gardens of Colonial Revival design, is one of the Virginia Museum’s greatest treasures.

OTHER PLACES OF INTEREST:
Note: These attractions are listed in geographic order, starting in Church Hill and downtown Richmond and driving west.

THE ST. JOHN’S MEWS. West of historic St. John’s Church in Richmond=s Church Hill district, The Garden Club of Virginia created a community garden with proceeds from Historic Garden Week in Virginia. A brick wall with ornamental cast-iron panels contains examples of the decorative iron work produced by Richmond foundries in the 19th century. The quiet and restful spot, maintained by Historic Richmond Foundation, was dedicated in 1967. The original cobblestone in the alley was incorporated in the garden plan, along with boxwood, flowering shrubs and ground covers.

EDGAR ALLAN POE MUSEUM, 1914-1916 East Main Street. A garden inspired by Poe’s love poems is nestled amid the five-building museum complex which includes the Old Stone House built in 1737, the oldest surviving dwelling from the original city of Richmond. The museum features objects owned by Poe and his family, as well as letters, manuscripts, books and periodicals written or edited by Poe, and a panorama of Richmond as it was in his day. Off-street parking. Guided tours. For more information, please call (804) 648-5523 or visit www.poemuseum.org.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, Capitol Square. A National Historic Landmark, the Executive Mansion has been the home of Virginia’s first families since 1813 and is the oldest continually occupied governor’s residence in the United States. The East Garden, designed and installed in the mid-1950s by noted landscape architect Charles F. Gillette, was restored in 1999-2000 by The Garden Club of Virginia with funding from Garden Week events. For information about tours of the Executive Mansion, please call (804) 371-2642.

VALENTINE RICHMOND HISTORY CENTER, 1015 E. Clay Street
The only organization dedicated to documenting Richmond’s dynamic history, the century-old Valentine Richmond History Center in historic Court End features revolving and permanent exhibitions, educational programs, and guided city tours that explore and interpret the lifestyle and culture of the city. Tour the 1812 Wickham House, the John Marshall House, and the galleries of the History Center. Afterward, enjoy lunch in the garden at Cafe Richmond. Formerly known as the Valentine Museum. For more information, visit www.richmondhistorycenter.com or call (804) 649-0711.

TREDEGAR NATIONAL CIVIL WAR CENTER, 490 Tredegar St. (804) 788-6480), www.tredegar.org and MUSEUM OF THE CONFEDERACY, 1201 E. Clay St., (804) 649-1861, www.moc.org. Outstanding Civil War artifacts, exhibits and sources of historic information.

THE LIBRARY OF VIRGINIA, 800 E. Broad St. Established in 1823, the Library of Virginia has the most comprehensive collection in the world of material devoted to Virginia history, government and culture. Here, visitors can trace the history of America in the footsteps of Virginians. The Library offers free exhibitions on Virginia history and talks by Virginia authors and on Virginia topics. Open Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (804) 692-3500 and www.lva.lib.va.us

JOHN MARSHALL HOUSE, 818 E. Marshall St., in Richmond=s Court End. Chief Justice Marshall built his residence in Richmond in 1790 and lived there for 45 years. The house is an outstanding example of Federal architecture and contains a rich collection of family-owned furnishings and Marshall memorabilia. The newly refurbished garden features plans popular in the 18th century. The John Marshall House is operated by the APVA Preservation Virginia. Call (804) 648-7998 for information about hours and house tours.

MAGGIE L. WALKER NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE, 110 ½ East Leigh St. The Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site commemorates the life of a talented and progressive African-American woman. Despite segregation and personal disabilities, she achieved success in the world of business and finance as the first woman in the United States to charter and serve as a president of a bank. The site includes her residence of 30 years and a visitor center detailing her life and the Jackson Ward community in which she lived and worked. The house is restored to its 1930s appearance with original Walker family pieces. Operated by the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. No fee. Open Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Telephone (804) 771-2017, www.nps.gov/mawa.

RICHMOND VISITORS CENTER, 401 N. 3rd St., Richmond 23219. (804) 783-7450 and www.richmondva.org. Maps and information about lodgings, restaurants, entertainment and Richmond-area attractions are available here.

THE BOLLING HAXALL HOUSE, 211 East Franklin Street. The Bolling Haxall House, an imposing Italianate mansion in the heart of downtown Richmond, was built in 1858 for wealthy business leader Bolling Walker Haxall, whose fortune was lost in the Civil War. Following ownership by Dr. Francis Willis, who embellished the interior with walnut paneling and an elliptical staircase, the house was purchased in 1900 by members of The Woman’s Club, who were seeking a permanent headquarters. In 1915 the Club added an elegant auditorium to host notable weekly speakers. The Bolling Haxall House was renovated in the late 1980s under the direction of a team of acclaimed preservationists and boasts original features and decor typical of the turn of the last century. The third floor was recently renovated, and the distinctive belvedere atop the house was restored to protect its structural integrity. A Virginia Historic Landmark, the building is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In addition to use by The Woman’s Club, the house is a popular venue for public and private events. Open Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Group tours are available by prior arrangement. For information, call (804) 643-2847, ext. 13 or visit www.twcrichmond.org.

MAYMONT, 2201 Shields Lake Drive. The grounds of this 100-acre, Victorian estate include Japanese, Italian, English and Herb gardens. Formerly the home of Maj. and Mrs. James H. Dooley, Maymont is located on a bluff overlooking the James River only two miles from downtown Richmond. Maymont House Museum is an example of the opulent style of the American Gilded Age and includes original furnishings acquired by the Dooleys as well as an 1890s domestic work exhibition. The ornamental lawn surrounding the mansion was restored by The Garden Club of Virginia from 1996-98 and now features a shrub labyrinth, restored walkway, specimen trees, rose arbors and more. The arboretum boasts 200 species of trees and shrubs, including original exotic specimens from the Dooleys’ time. The Italian Garden, designed by Noland and Baskervill, contains parterres and a wisteria-covered pergola, and the Japanese Garden includes a dramatic 45-foot waterfall.
Maymont also has an extensive carriage collection and offers carriage and tram rides on the grounds. The Nature and Visitor Center is a must-see and a good place to begin a visit. Maymont House Museum tours are available Tuesday through Sunday from 12 to 4:30 p.m. The grounds are open daily; indoor exhibits are closed Mondays. For information, call (804) 358-7166 or visit www.maymont.org.

VIRGINIA MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, 2800 Grove Ave. An outstanding art collection spanning 6,000 years. Included are Faberge, Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Impressionism, post-Impressionism, Contemporary, American, Classical, Byzantine, African, Egyptian, Chinese and other fine collections. (804) 340-1400 and www.vmfa.state.va.us.

VIRGINIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY, 428 N. Boulevard. Interesting exhibits and collections spanning 16,000 years of Virginia history. (804) 358-4901 or www.vahistorical.org.

VIRGINIA HOUSE, 4301 Sulgrave Road. Owned and operated by the Virginia Historical Society, this English manor was home to Alexander Weddell, former U.S. ambassador to Spain, and his wife, Virginia. In 1925, the house was transported from Warwickshire, England, to Windsor Farms in Richmond where it was reconstructed as a private residence. The expansive gardens overlooking the James River were designed by noted landscape architect Charles F. Gillette. Gardens open Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., and Sunday, 12:30-5 p.m. The house museum will be open for tours Saturday, April 19, and Friday, April 25, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, April 20, from 12:30-5 p.m. The house museum and gardens will be closed on Saturday, April 26. Admission charged. Reservations are required for groups of 10 or more, and group rates are available. For more information, call (804) 353-4251 or visit www.vahistorical.org.

AGECROFT HALL, 4305 Sulgrave Road, Windsor Farms. Reconstructed as the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas C. Williams, Jr., Agecroft Hall was completed in 1928 as the centerpiece of the newly developed Windsor Farms suburb. The Williams= architect, Henry G. Morse, incorporated architectural elements from the original late-15th century manor in Lancashire, England, into a modern house for his clients. On a 23-acre site overlooking the James River, Agecroft is surrounded by gardens. Landscape architect Charles F. Gillette designed a garden reminiscent of the Pond Garden at Hampton Court Palace near London. Several of Agecroft=s gardens are inspired by 17th century models: the knot garden, the herb garden, and the fragrance garden. A special area, the Tradescant Garden, commemorates the role of the Tradescants, father and son. These famous botanists to the royal family collected exotic plant specimens from distant lands and imported them to England for display as curiosities.
Opened in 1969 as a historic house museum, Agecroft presents guided tours of seven period rooms. The collection includes objects made and/or used in 16th and 17th century England. English domestic life in a manor from 1580 to 1640 is the focus of the introductory tour. The museum, gardens and the museum shop are open Tuesday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sundays from 12:30 to 5 p.m. Although usually closed on Mondays, the museum and gardens are open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the Monday of Garden Week. Tickets for house tour and self-guided garden walk are $7 for adults, $6 for seniors (age 65 and older), $4 for students. Garden-only tickets are available at half-price. Reservations are required for groups of 10 or more, and group discounts are available. For additional information about tours or public programs, please call (804) 353-4241. See the Luncheon information for the April 24 tour in Windsor Farms.

WILTON. Located just off the 5300 block of Cary Street Road on South Wilton Road, overlooking the James River. Believed to have been designed by Richard Taliaferro, Wilton was built by William Randolph III on a site southeast of Richmond between 1750-53. The mansion was moved in 1934 to its present location by The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Wilton is known for the magnificence of its Georgian architecture and the enchantment of its 18th century furnishings. Floor-to-ceiling paneling is featured in all the rooms. The parlor with its fluted pilasters and arches has been recognized as “one of the 100 most beautiful rooms in America.” A handsome collection of 18th and 19th century furniture is featured, many pieces of which were made in Virginia. Also noteworthy are the fine collections of silver, glassware, looking glasses and textiles. The grounds were landscaped by The Garden Club of Virginia in 1936 as the sixth beneficiary of Historic Garden Week. A Virginia Historic Landmark, Wilton will be open during Historic Garden Week from Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Sunday, 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Last tour: 3:45 p.m. Admission $8. Telephone (804) 282-5936.

TUCKAHOE PLANTATION, 12601 River Road. (See James River Plantations, Lower North Side, section.) House and gardens open for tour on Tuesday, April 22. Gardens open for self-guided tours on Wednesday, April 23, and Thursday, April 24, with house tour for an additional fee.

LEWIS GINTER BOTANICAL GARDEN, 1800 Lakeside Avenue. Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden blooms year-round with beauty and includes more than 40 acres of spectacular gardens as well as shopping and dining. The garden is open daily 9 a.m.-5 p.m. with some evening hours and is located just north of downtown Richmond off I-95, at the corner of Lakeside Ave. and Hilliard Rd. The Garden’s Conservatory is the only classical, domed conservatory in the state. This magnificent glass building soars to a height of 63 feet and features exotic and unusual plants from subtropical and tropical regions of the world. The “jewel” of the Garden, the Conservatory houses a tropical wing with beautiful orchids and a wing with changing displays of flowering and colorful plants. The Education and Library Complex houses a conference center, library and classrooms. A new Children’s Garden was opened in 2005. This learning landscape includes a wheelchair-accessible Tree House and a Farm Garden, International Village, Weird and Contrasting Plants section, and Sand and Water Play area.
Inside the Garden are more than 40 acres of landscaped areas. Recent additions include a Four Seasons Garden, a Healing Garden and a Sunken Garden. Other areas include the Henry M. Flagler Perennial Garden, one of the largest and most diverse perennial gardens on the East Coast; the Grace Arents Garden, an elegant Victorian-style garden restored by The Garden Club of Virginia with funding from Garden Week; Asian Valley, an exotic garden setting; and the Martha and Reed West Island Garden, a wetland environment with a stunning display of pitcher plants and water irises.
The Garden’s Visitors Center features a shop and a café. (There is no fee to enter the Visitors Center.) Lunch is also served daily in the Robins Tea House overlooking the gardens and a lake. (Visitors dining in the Tea House must pay garden admission.) For information call (804) 262-9887 or access www.lewisginter.org.

MAGNOLIA GRANGE. 10020 Ironbridge Rd., Chesterfield Courthouse area. A handsome Federal-style plantation house noted for its distinctive architecture, elaborate ceiling, medallions and carvings on mantels, doorways and window frames. It is restored to its 1820s look and feel. For hours and information: www.Chesterfieldhistory.com, (804) 796-1479.

HENRICUS HISTORICAL PARK. Established in 1611, Henricus was the second successful English city in the New World and is being recreated today on the banks of the historic James River in Chesterfield County. Visit www.henricus.org, telephone (804) 706-1340.