SUFFOLK
“Tees and Tides”
Sponsored by The Nansemond River Garden Club and
The Elizabeth River Garden Club
Friday, April 23, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Chairman: The Nansemond River Garden Club
Jodi Browne (Mrs. Bowman R.)
411 Western Avenue
Suffolk, VA 23434
Telephone: (757) 923-0233
E-mail: jodibrowne@verizon.net
Chairman: The Elizabeth River Garden Club
Sandy Canada (Mrs. Jesse E. III)
9203 Wigneil Street
Suffolk, VA 23433
Telephone: (757) 238-3170
E-mail: sacanada@thecanadacompany.com
Co-Chairman: The Nansemond River Garden Club
Betty Delk (Mrs. Rodham T. Jr.)
101 Moonefield Drive
Smithfield, VA 23430
Telephone: (757) 357-4584
E-mail: rbdelk@charter.net
Co-Chairman: The Elizabeth River Garden Club
Wanda Russo (Mrs. Sam V.)
114 Shore Drive
Portsmouth, VA 23701
Telephone: (757) 488-6448
E-mail: wandaandsnooky@yahoo.com
Ticket Sales Chairman: The Nansemond River Garden Club
Stephie Broadwater (Mrs. Charles)
1027 Cypress Creek Parkway
Smithfield, VA 23430
Telephone: (757) 356-1248
E-mail: stephiebroadwater@yahoo.com
Ticket Sales Chairman: The Elizabeth River Garden Club
Martha McLean (Mrs. A. P.)
9345 Eclipse Drive
Suffolk, VA 23433
Telephone: (757) 238-3113
E-mail: marthamclean@charter.net
FULL TICKETS: $30, single-site admission $10; children 11 and younger free of charge. Advance tickets $25 on or before April 9. For advance tickets, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to Mrs. Charles Broadwater (address above) with your check made payable to The Nansemond River Garden Club, or to Mrs. A.P. McLean (address above) with your check made payable to The Elizabeth River Garden Club. Tickets may also be purchased in advance with credit card by accessing www.VAGardenweek.org. Tickets will be available at each house on the day of the tour at full price. Children younger than age 17 must be accompanied by an adult.
LUNCH SUGGESTIONS: The Vintage Tavern (757) 238-8808 and Cedar Point Country Club (757) 238-2275 have graciously agreed to open for lunch during the Suffolk tour. The Vintage Tavern is located in Governor’s Pointe, 1900 Governor’s Pointe Drive, Suffolk, 23436. Cedar Point Country Club is located within the Cedar Point community, 8056 Clubhouse Drive, Suffolk, 23433. Reservations are recommended.
REFRESHMENTS: Refreshments will be offered at the Barry garden and the Pinkham garden noon to 3 p.m.
NORTHERN SUFFOLK
Northern Suffolk, with its magnificent waterways and golf communities, serves as the backdrop for this year’s “Tees and Tides” tour. The homes feature breathtaking views of the confluence of the James and Nansemond Rivers, along with an array of designs, styles and landscaping.
The Riverfront at Harbour View, developed by East West Communities, is a resort golf community located in Northern Suffolk. This year’s Riverfront homes will allow garden club members and guests to enjoy a certified Monarch Way Station, a gem in outdoor entertaining and interior design inspired by the islands of Turks and Caicos. Northern Suffolk is also home to another golf and waterfront community, Cedar Point. Houses featured in Cedar Point display an extensive art collection as well as an eclectic mix of artifacts from world travels.
Located near Cedar Point is Eclipse, a historic fishing community rich with waterman heritage. Barrel Point is located in the back of the community. Its gardens on display offer insight into bold, eco-conscious landscaping. North along US-17 is Carrollton. The home open here provides a peek into the personal gardens of the founders of Smithfield Gardens Inc. Each community offers different perspectives on the Nansemond and James Rivers as well as the Chuckatuck, Bleakhorn and Knotts Creeks.
DIRECTIONS:
TO THE RIVERFRONT AT HARBOUR VIEW:
From Virginia Beach, take I-264 W to I-664 N. Take exit
9A, toward the James River Bridge. Merge onto US-17 N. Harbour View will
be on your right.
From Williamsburg, take I-64 E to I-664 S. Take exit 9,
toward the James River Bridge. Merge onto US-17 N. Harbour View will be
on your right.
TO CEDAR POINT:
From Virginia Beach, take I-264 W to I-664 N. Take exit 9A,
toward the James River Bridge. Merge onto US-17 N. Stay on Rte 17 for approximately
6 mi. Cedar Point will be located on the right.
From Williamsburg, take I-64 E to I-664 S. Take exit, 9, toward
the James River Bridge. Merge onto US-17 N. Stay on Rte 17 for approximately
6 mi. Cedar Point will be located on the right.
TO THE BARRY GARDEN:
From Virginia Beach, take I-264 W to I-664 N. Take exit 9A, toward the James River Bridge. Merge onto US-17 N. Stay on Rte 17 for approximately 6.4 mi. Take a right onto Eclipse Drive. (This street is before a Sunoco station.) Follow Eclipse Drive for approximately one mi. This road will become Dixon Rd.. Take a right onto Rivershore Drive. Take a right onto Wigneil St. Follow Wigneil St. to the cul-de-sac where parking will be available.
From Williamsburg, take I-64 E to I-664 S. Take exit, 9, toward the James River Bridge. Merge onto US-17 N. Stay on Rte 17 for approximately 6.4 mi. Take a right onto Eclipse Drive. (This street is before a Sunoco station.) Follow Eclipse Drive for approximately one mi. This road will become Dixon Rd. Take a right onto Rivershore Drive. Take a right onto Wigneil St. Follow Wigneil St. to the cul-de-sac where parking will be available.
TO THE PINKHAM GARDEN:
From Virginia Beach, take I-264 W to I-664 N. Take exit 9A, toward the James River Bridge. Merge onto US-17 N. Stay on Rte 17 for approximately 7.8 mi. Take a right onto Sugar Hill Drive. Transportation to the Pinkham garden will be provided. Look for signage on Sugar Hill Rd. indicating a shuttle drop-off and pick-up location on tour.
From Williamsburg, take I-64 E to I-664 S. Take Exit 9, toward the James River Bridge. Merge onto US-17 N. Stay on Rte 17 for approximately 7.8 mi. Take a right onto Sugar Hill Drive. Transportation to the Pinkham garden will be provided. Look for signage on Sugar Hill Rd. indicating a shuttle drop-off and pick-up location on tour.
Properties May Be Visited in Any Order
No photography or filming is permitted inside the houses, including cameras, camcorders and cell phones. Flat shoes are recommended.
9160 WIGNEIL STREET, Suffolk 23433. This beautiful landscape is a “bold romantic garden” that blends the grounds with nearby vegetation. It features a mixture of natural grasses and pops of color to add visual interest. The style was made popular by Wolfgang Oehme and James Van Sweden. The property, named Barrel Point, lies at the confluence of the James and Nansemond Rivers. With broad waterfront exposure to the east, the Hampton Roads harbor is framed panoramically. To the south and west, the site is surrounded by the scenic marshes of Bleakhorn Creek.
With steady winds from the harbor, the gardens are hardy seaside plantings, including a variety of billowing grasses, native shrubs and trees able to withstand the challenging conditions. Winding pathways and boardwalks make it possible for visitors to take in both the expansive water views and more protected marsh views. Another feature of interest is the “secret garden” nestled out of the way with a patio and fountain containing dwarf papyrus, iris and horsetail rush plants. The Barrys’ gardens were designed by Ann Stokes of Ann P. Stokes Landscape Architects, LLC and were planted by Bill Pinkham and Tom Conway of Smithfield Gardens Inc. Gardens only are open for the first time. Mr. and Mrs. Richard F. Barry III, owners.
North Suffolk Tour—24389 Mouring Drive
24389 MOURING DRIVE, Carrollton, 23314. This is the garden of two passionate plant collectors, Linda Pinkham, a horticulturalist, and Bill Pinkham, a landscape designer. It has been a work in progress since the mid-1990s, with Bill creating the bed designs and both of them coordinating plant and color combinations to please the eye.
The entrance walkway, covered by an assortment of vines leading to the front door, crosses a pond filled with goldfish and water plants. Inside the house, note the Indian rainforest marble fireplace, a beautiful onyx backsplash in kitchen and a collection of international and North American pottery, including works by Bill Pinkham.
The six-acre property has several gardens, including a south-facing rock garden, a formal garden surrounding the greenhouse, two shady woodland walks, a flower border overlooking the James River, an Oriental-style garden and a conifer area that features manmade and natural limestone rock sculptures from Lexington, Virginia. While the tropical garden will only be getting started in April, the beds will be filled with other seasonal color such as pansies, tulips, clematis, red honeysuckle and more bloom. Most plants will be labeled. Walking shoes are advised. Bill’s pottery studio will also be open. This home and garden is open for the first time on garden tour. Mr. and Mrs. William W. Pinkham, owners.
8017 QUAIL HOLLOW, Suffolk 23433. Built in 1990, this traditional brick home contains an extensive collection of family heirlooms and artifacts from world travels. The house is sited on waterfront property in Cedar Point with panoramic vistas of the confluence of the Nansemond and James Rivers, the Godwin Bridge and a one-and-a-half-acre marsh. Views are enjoyed from a covered porch, patio, lookout landing and interior open-floor plan. Corkscrew willows, hydrangeas, day lilies and other plantings abound. Warm wall colors, floral and Asian-inspired wallpaper and hardwood floors lend each space an inviting feel. Family traditions are reflected throughout, including large armoires, china cabinets, end tables and other furnishings from the Deep Creek plantation home of Dr. May’s grandmother. Family heirlooms such as tea sets, Civil War pistols and paintings, family portraits and candelabras add detailed touches to each room.
Art and memorabilia from the couple’s travels to Nepal, China, Africa, Russia, Europe and other regions are conversation pieces, including a hand-painted Thangka, porcelain animal figurines and an Italian patio set. Dr. and Mrs. William H. May, owners.
5214 COMMODORE BLUFF, Suffolk 23435. A delightful traditional brick waterfront property with Caribbean flare, this house was built in 2002 and is located on three acres in The Riverfront at Harbour View. Stunning, peaceful views of Knotts Creek and the Nansemond River are enjoyed throughout the first floor and from an informal garden, patio and dock.
The couple’s favorite vacation places, the Turks and Caicos Islands, greatly influence their home décor. Ink paintings of conch shells, water birds and other sea themes created by Les Hall are displayed throughout. Blue and white antiques, red coral, and nautical lighting tie together their West Indies style from room to room. The residence has hardwood floors and tile throughout, with granite and marble countertops in the kitchen and bathrooms. Family heirlooms including a dining room walnut corner hutch, silver pieces and antique clocks are located in the dining room, living room and study. The study, which the couple renovated when they purchased the house in 2007, features a built-in desk and bookshelves with exquisite craftsmanship. Open for the first time. Mr. and Mrs. James Leslie Hall, owners.
114 WATCH HARBOUR COURT, Suffolk 23435. With brick and stone accents, this transitional style home combines a sophisticated, neutral California Wine Country palate with a Craftsman flair. Built in 2005, the house overlooks the 15th green and 16th tee box of The Riverfront golf course at Harbour View. Beyond the course are views of the Nansemond River and Godwin Bridge.
The couple’s frequent travels to Sonoma, Napa and Lake Tahoe influence their style which is evident in mahogany doors, Brazilian walnut hardwood floors, Craftsman-style trimming and bursts of exposed El Dorado rock and modern cottage lighting. Artwork by G.C. Myers and the couple’s friend Ellen Fishbein add warmth, with images of red bonsai trees, brick-colored fields, sunflowers and fruit. The Pacific look is completed by a custom kitchen and a wine cellar, with an extensive collection.
An outdoor kitchen, added in 2008, provides ample seating for entertaining. A Brazilian walnut bar with granite countertops and a stacked pebble fountain with a disappearing water basin bring the couple’s distinctive style outdoors. The landscape also features a pool and a garden with basil, roses, weeping river birch, rosemary and more. Open for the first time. Mr. Michael and Ms. Elizabeth Hopkins, owners.
6002 SPINNAKER COVE COURT, Suffolk 23435. Located in The Riverfront at Harbour View, this lovely traditional house features a brilliant Savannah charm throughout the interior, with a beautiful garden outside that is a certified Monarch Way Station. Mr. and Mrs. Tillman moved into the brick residence, based on a Southern Living floor plan, in 2004. Their décor is a mix of French Country and traditional English, with a backdrop of warm painted walls, hardwood floors and granite countertops. Gracious details include antique tiger-oak English sideboards, an Italian crystal chandelier, a Champagne region riddling rack and an heirloom, 400-pound butcher’s block. Numerous other antiques and interesting pieces include a hat collection from the 1940s through the 1960s, framed family handkerchiefs, a Cochran, a traditional Georgia bed reproduction and more.
The garden, filled with milkweed, purple coneflowers, butterfly bush, Black-eyed Susan, lantana and other plantings, overlooks a finger creek and marsh of the Nansemond River. The landscape creates a lush stopping point for Monarch butterflies. Each year, the Tillmans catch butterflies with a net and tag their wings to help University of Kansas entomologists track migration patterns as the butterflies travel to Mexico. Open for the first time. Mr. and Mrs. Harry L. Tillman, owners.
ALSO OF INTEREST:
HISTORIC ST. LUKE’S CHURCH. Located at the intersection of Rte 10, Rte 32 and Benns Church Blvd. in Smithfield (Isle of Wight Co.), historic St. Luke’s (ca. 1632) is the nation’s oldest church of English foundation, believed to be the only original Gothic-style church in America. The grounds were enhanced by noted landscape architect Charles Gillette in the 1950s. St. Luke’s is a restoration project of the Garden Club of Virginia’s funding from Historic Garden Week tours (dedicated in September 2007). The church is a National Historic Landmark, on the Virginia Register of Historic Places and on the National Register of Historic Places.