ROANOKE
Sponsored by The Mill Mountain Garden Club and The Roanoke Valley Garden Club
Saturday, April 24, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Chairman:
Katherine (Kay) Strickland (Mrs. Wayne Guy)
3036 Bancroft Drive
Roanoke, VA 24014
Telephone: (540)-343-1635
Email: Stricklandkay3@gmail.com
Co-Chairman:
Paula Irons (Mrs. R. Jay)
2731 Carolina Avenue
Roanoke, VA 24014
Telephone: (540)-342-2149
Email: Burnbrae0@cox.net
DIRECTIONS FROM THE NORTH, EAST AND WEST: Take I-81 to Roanoke. Take I-581 in Roanoke to Wonju St. exit. Go south on Wonju St. As Wonju St. crosses Franklin Rd., it becomes Broadway Ave. Follow Broadway about 0.4 mi. to McClanahan St. Turn right on McClanahan St. and proceed three blocks to Jefferson St. Turn right on Jefferson St. and proceed three blocks to the South Roanoke Methodist church on the left, where parking will be available.
FROM THE SOUTH: From Rte 220, take the exit to Franklin Rd. Turn right at the end of the ramp. Go 1.5 mi. to the stoplight at the intersection with Broadway Ave. Turn right onto Broadway and follow above directions to the South Roanoke Methodist Church.
FULL TICKET: $20. No single-house tickets. Tickets may be purchased the day of the tour at South Roanoke Methodist Church. Sorry, no credit cards accepted except in advance at www.VAGardenweek.org. Children 6-12, half-price. Children 5 and younger, free admission. Children younger than 17 must be accompanied by an adult. Houses need not be visited in the order listed.
ADVANCE TICKETS: Tickets may be purchased until Monday, April 19, by sending checks payable to “Historic Garden Week” and mailed to Roanoke Council of Garden Clubs, 3640 Colonial Ave., Roanoke VA 24018. Tickets are also available for purchase by cash or check at the same address Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.-noon, and from the following locations around the Roanoke Valley: Chocolate Paper, 308 Market St. or 3260 Electric Road; Lipes, 2201 Crystal Spring Ave.; Townside Gardens, 3624 Franklin Rd. For more information, call (540) 343-4519. Tickets may be purchased by credit card for an additional fee by accessing www.VaGardenweek.org
LUNCHEON: By reservation only. A gourmet box lunch by Chanticleer Catering will be available at South Roanoke Methodist Church from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for $11. Please make checks payable to Sissy Logan and mail to Mrs. Fielding Logan, 1930 Tucker Lane, Salem, VA 24153. Checks must be received by Tuesday, April 20. For lunch information, email: sissylogan@gmail.com
REFRESHMENTS: Weather permitting, light refreshments will be served from 2-4 p.m. in the Moore garden, 2901 Avenham Ave.
SPECIAL EVENT: To celebrate Historic Garden Week, the Taubman Museum of Art, located in Downtown Roanoke, is offering half-price admission the day of the tour for all guests presenting their purchased tour tickets. Completed in November 2008, this $66 million project was designed by Randall Stout, a previous senior associate of Frank Gehry. Highlights of the museum include the Thomas Eakins collection, Judith Leiber Gallery and works of art by John Singer Sargent, Norman Rockwell and Winslow Homer. Guests are invited to view a floral interpretation of an artwork from the Museum’s premier collection. Garden Week tour tickets may be purchased on the day of the tour at the museum. For more information, contact artmuseum.Roanoke.com
“THE ART OF FLOWERS”
A Tour of Homes and Gardens Inspired by the Love of Art and Flowers
CHERRY HILL, 301 23rd Street. A masterpiece of Georgian architecture, this 90-year-old house was designed by New York architect A.J. Bodker, with influences from both Westover and Homewood plantations. The residence is built of fireproof, imported New York brick with a Vermont slate roof. Steel-beam construction eliminates load-bearing walls. Its most distinctive exterior feature is the front entrance with massive Corinthian columns and bricked walkways. Teak plank floors, a grand domed entrance hall with its original chandelier and sweeping staircase are some of the beautiful components of this area landmark. Inside is a maze of curves and arches, enormous expanses and nooks and crannies. Deep crown moldings, either carved or plaster-cast, accentuate each room, and there are rich chair rails, ornate wall panels and marble fireplaces.
Formerly used as the Roanoke Fine Arts Center, Cherry Hill stood vacant for three years before the present owners purchased the house in 1995 and began the process of restoring it to its former grandeur, now furnished with antiques, art and rugs compatible with the home’s architecture. In similar fashion, Cherry Hill’s three separate gardens have been restored with respect to the layout of the original plan, offering excellent views of South Roanoke. Jim Body and Winter Hodges, owners.
218 23rd STREET. Garden only. Originally built as part of Cherry Hill as a gardeners’ house, this exquisite setting of a Greek Revival home and formal garden is exceptional. The house and garden are enclosed by a beautiful black and gold wrought-iron fence. A gracious front porch overlooks the lawn and large, fern-filled planters. The walk and porch are constructed from granite cobblestones, which came from the Hotel Roanoke reconstruction, and from marble salvaged from the First Union Bank lobby. To one side are a hornbeam hedge, holly trees and viburnum. Of note is a statue of an Indian and dog acquired from the Homestead resort, where it had been in the bar for many years.
Attention to expert detail is obvious throughout the garden. A narrow passage leads to the charming secret garden, and a lovely circular fountain surrounded by ivy forms the centerpiece of the design. A table and chairs, planters, statues and other garden pieces acquired from the owners’ travels are thoughtfully placed among the plantings. Hostas, boxwoods, hydrangeas and many other perennials provide seasonal color, and a custom doghouse adds interest. Open for the first time. Mr. and Mrs. Edwin C. Hall, owners.
2125 YELLOW MOUNTAIN ROAD. The Fairfax, Unit 108. The Fairfax is a 38-unit condominium building designed in Georgian style. Its perimeter is bordered with a variety of trees including hedge maples, Cryptomeria japonica, Leland cypress and pink dogwoods. The building contains underground parking, a health spa and clubroom, covered private terraces, and spacious open-floor plans, all located within close proximity to Roanoke’s downtown and the South Roanoke Village. This condominium is a fine example of in-town luxury living for a couple who also maintain a residence at Smith Mountain Lake. This spacious unit, with ground-floor entrance, a state-of-the-art kitchen, den, and open living and dining areas, also features an outside balcony that is a favorite gathering spot and playground for grandchildren. Overlooking First Presbyterian Church, the beautiful views of downtown Roanoke and Tinker and Read mountains make this terrace quite exceptional. Interesting pieces by California and New York artists adorn the public spaces, while drawings in the master bedroom done by Mr. Lee of the grandchildren add warmth to the décor. In the guest bedroom is a rare 18th century wedding mirror, traditionally given as a wedding gift to brides. Open for the first time. Bill and Carol Lee, owners.
2817 AVENHAM AVENUE. Built in 1958, this center-hall colonial was recently remodeled to add much-needed space for a busy family. An attractive columned entrance was added to the front of the house. At the entrance, your eye is drawn to the living room by the deep rose color of the walls, showing off to great advantage a painting by local artist Mary Bullington and a Spanish painting acquired by the owners’ grandparents on their travels. Other artists of note represented in their collection are Picasso-influenced Marcel Mouly, Nantucket artist John Lochtefeld and John Worthy from Seattle. A great-granddaughter of General George C. Marshall, Mrs. Burns displays a beautiful set of china belonging to General and Mrs. Marshall, and a large Chinese trunk used by the Marshalls when they traveled home from China after conferring with Chiang Kai Shek in 1946.
With the removal of a kitchen wall, a spacious family room was added to the back of the house. Original oak flooring gives life to the dining room and hallway and is beautifully matched by new oak flooring in the addition. The upstairs contains two children’s rooms, a handsome office with an original Navajo rug, and a large master bedroom with a connecting dramatic master bath. Open for the first time. Webb and Molly Burns, owners.
2901 AVENHAM AVENUE. Garden Only. The gardens of this 1929 farmhouse-style residence were begun in 2006, after renovations to the house. Landscape architect Dan Chitwood has designed pebble and slate paths which encircle the house and invite visitors to the garden. The front features a variety of evergreens and maples that provide four-season interest. A fountain invites visitors through a side path of boxwood, azalea, juniper and holly. The rear garden focal point is a crabapple surrounded by an octagonal wooden bench. A hedge of yew and cypress form a border at the rear perimeter, and beds of salvia, hydrangea, hellebores and peonies provide a beautiful show of color spanning spring and summer. The kitchen herb garden leads to a slate patio which features a water fountain and numerous planters brimming with colorful annuals.
The path continues down a set of stairs, to an “English cottage garden” bursting with geraniums, lilies, spirea, coneflowers, ferns and hydrangea, all growing in the shade of a river birch tree. The garden flows with the garden next door, also open for the tour. The neighbors have designed gardens that are harmonious and complement each other while maintaining privacy. Open for the first time. Mr. and Mrs. T. Christopher Moore, owners.
2833 AVENHAM AVENUE. This two-story brick colonial was built in 1948 by local businessman Marvin Lemon, who lived there with his family for nearly 50 years. Tree-lined curved beds create a private front yard as one approaches the house from the original slate walkway. The traditional façade gives way to delights inside and the gardens beyond. Of special note is the artwork by the owner and her daughters. The airy living and dining rooms feature a combination of European antiques and contemporary furnishings acquired by the owner while living in Europe and on her world-wide travels. The “world’s smallest powder room” is adorned with beautiful ceiling moldings and a leather floor. All main rooms open to the outside.
The rear garden, accessed from the sunroom, has a terraced lawn with stone retaining walls and boxwood-defined perennial beds. French doors from the kitchen and dining room lead to a contemporary, Asian-inspired meditation garden with moss-covered beds. Highlights include a painting by Pearl Fu, a Zen gong made from salvaged materials, an antique Asian lantern and the sound of water from the stone fountain. Open for the first time. Mrs. Mary Newbold, owner.
PLACES OF INTEREST: Visitors to the 2008 tour are invited to enjoy the many historic, cultural, horticultural and artistic attractions in the Roanoke Valley, including the following:
THE DENTON MONUMENT (old tombstone) located near the Hollins University campus in Old Tombstone Cemetery. This is one of Virginia’s most important works of folk art, created sometime around 1850 by Laurence Krone, a noted German stone carver of the 19th century.
CENTER IN THE SQUARE, the cultural hub of the Roanoke Valley, located in Roanoke’s historic downtown market area and THE WILDFLOWER GARDEN ON MILL MOUNTAIN, developed and maintained by The Mill Mountain Garden Club.
AREA GARDEN CLUB OF VIRGINIA RESTORATIONS:
BEALE MEMORIAL GARDEN at Hollins University. With funding from Historic Garden Week tours, the Garden Club of Virginia has restored the garden, given in 1930 in memory of Lucy Preston Beale, a student at the school during the Civil War.
FINCASTLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Fincastle. The grounds of this historic church were a restoration project of the Garden Club of Virginia in 1942-43, using funds from Historic Garden Week. Structural repairs on the iron fences were made and a gate and brick wall were built along the west side of the graveyard. Simple plantings completed the restoration at the time.