WILLIAMSBURG
Sponsored by The Williamsburg Garden Club
Tuesday, April 22, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Chairman:
Laura Geddy (Mrs. Vernon M., III)
129 Jones Mill Lane
Williamsburg, VA 23185
Telephone: (757) 220-9369
E-mail: geddyboys@aol.com
Co-Chairman:
Margaret Driscoll (Mrs. Sean F.)
4 Bayberry Lane
Williamsburg, VA 23185
Telephone: (757) 229-6382
E-mail: dsean735@aol.com
Advance Tickets, Information and Lunch Reservations:
Cathy Adams (Mrs. Kenneth A.)
217 Southpoint Drive
Williamsburg, VA 23185
Telephone: (757) 220-2486
E-mail: cbtbka@cox.net
FULL TICKET: $25; includes admittance to each house on tour, transportation throughout the Historic Area via Colonial Williamsburg buses, transportation to and from the homes in the Walnut Hills neighborhood and the Escorted Walking Tour. Single-site admission, $10. Escorted Walking Tour single admission, $10. Children 13 and older, full price; ages 6-12 admitted for half-price if accompanied by an adult. Children 5 and under, free of charge. Tickets may be purchased at the Colonial Williamsburg Visitor Center on Monday, April 21, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Tuesday, April 22, from 9 a.m. to noon. On the day of the tour, both full and single admission tickets may be purchased at each of the homes on the tour.
ADVANCE TICKETS: Through April 18: Full advance ticket, $22, cash or check only, at the following Williamsburg locations: G. Bates Studio, Merchants Square; Seasons of Williamsburg, 1308 Jamestown Rd.; Wild Birds Unlimited, Monticello Marketplace; or by calling or e-mailing Cathy Adams, Laura Geddy or Margaret Driscoll (see information above). For an additional charge, advance tickets may be purchased with a credit card over the Internet by accessing www.VAGardenweek.org from mid-January until the day before the tour.
LUNCHEON: By reservation only. A delicious box lunch will be available at the Bruton Parish Church Parish House, Duke of Gloucester St., from 11:30 a.m. until 2 p.m., for $13. (The Parish House is located next to Barnes & Noble Bookstore.) Please reserve your lunch by April 15 by contacting Cathy Adams at (757) 220-2486 or at cbtbka@cox.net. Please make check payable to The Williamsburg Garden Club and mail to Mrs. Kenneth A. Adams, 217 Southpoint Dr., Williamsburg, VA 23185.
DIRECTIONS AND PARKING:
To visit Providence Hall House and the Charleton House in the Colonial Williamsburg Historic District: From I-64, take Exit 238 (Camp Peary/Colonial Williamsburg) and follow the official Colonial Williamsburg signs to the Visitor Center, where parking is available for cars and buses. Full ticket holders may board the Colonial Williamsburg buses free of charge on the lower level of the Visitor Center for transportation to the Historic Area. Disembark at the Tavern Bus Stop on Francis St. to tour these two properties. Approximately 0.2 mi. between the two homes.
To visit Bruton Parish Church Parish House, The Adams Garden, the
Escorted Walking Tour or Mattey’s Garden: Disembark
at the Merchants Square Bus Stop. The Bruton Parish Church
Parish House (Escorted Walking Tour, Historic Silver and Luncheon)
is located on Duke of Gloucester St. beside Barnes & Noble Bookstore. The Adam’s
Garden is located one block west of the Bruton Parish House across
from Talbots at the intersection of Richmond Rd. and Boundary St.
Mattey’s Garden: From the Bruton Parish Church Parish
House, walk one block east on Duke of Gloucester St. toward the Capitol.
Take a left on Nassau St. and walk two blocks (0.2 mi.) to the end of this
street. The garden is on the left side of the school. If you prefer
to drive to any of these sites, parking is available at the Prince George
St. Parking Deck (paid parking) on North Henry St.
To visit the Homes in Walnut Hills:
From the Visitor Center: Take the Colonial Parkway south
toward Jamestown. Exit the Colonial Parkway at Rt. 199 West. Turn left at the
stop sign at the top of this exit. Turn right on Rt. 199 and proceed to the
stoplight at John Tyler Hwy. (Rt. 5 West). ) Turn left onto Rt. 5 West.
Turn left at the first stoplight (Kings Way), and then take the first left
into the parking area of Williamsburg Crossing Shopping Center.
From I-64: Take Exit 242 (Rt. 199 West). Follow Rt. 199 until
the stoplight at John Tyler Hwy. (Rt. 5). Turn left onto Rt. 5 West. Turn left
at the first stoplight (Kings Way), and then take the first left into the parking
area of Williamsburg Crossing Shopping Center.
You may park anywhere near the white tent. Shuttle buses will be available
every 10 minutes or so.
Note: No neighborhood parking is permitted in the Walnut Hills area. Parking is inadequate for tour traffic. Please use the shuttle buses for this neighborhood.
Properties need not be visited in the order listed.
FACILITIES: Public restrooms, pay phones and drink machines are located throughout the Historic Area, as well as at the Colonial Williamsburg Visitor Center. Please ask hostesses at the homes on tour for the most convenient location.
Note: As a courtesy to homeowners, and for your own safety and comfort, no high- heeled shoes are allowed in the tour homes. No photography or use of cell phones inside the private houses or smoking, please.
Colonial Williamsburg Historic District
ESCORTED WALKING TOUR: An escorted walking tour of gardens in the west section of Colonial Williamsburg will originate at the Bruton Parish House on Duke of Gloucester St., one block west of Bruton Parish Church. Tours begin at 9 a.m., and depart approximately every 15 minutes. The last tour leaves at 3:45 p.m. The gardens featured on this tour include ornamental pleasure gardens with period annuals, perennials and herbs. Participants will glean information on garden design, landscape details and “heirloom” flowers.
Gardens to be open:
The John Blair Garden: For most of his life, John Blair, Sr. kept a diary in which he recorded his love of gardening. In November 1751, he wrote that he “planted flowers.” He obtained orange trees from the “Green Spring” plantation nursery, and he mentions dining upon “fine greens” from his garden and that he gathered pears. The design of this small herb garden is reminiscent of the knot gardens so popular in the 17th century. Landscape architect Arthur Shurcliff designed the garden with a series of narrow walks dividing the 40’ x 50’ area into two sections, each with a central diamond-shaped parterres.
The Taliaferro-Cole Garden: As it appears today, this site is primarily the design of landscape architect Arthur Shurcliff, who prepared a landscape plan in 1941. The gardens were to be three separate rectangular areas, enclosed by fences, each planted for a special purpose. Beginning at the street level, the open lawn between the house and the shop is a simple ornamental yard shaded by oak trees. On the next, slightly lower level is a flower garden with central turf panels and planting beds bordering the walks. This area features horticultural interest in virtually every season of the year. In these beds may be found a colorful array of spring bulbs, summer perennials, and flowering trees and shrubs which may be enjoyed from many viewpoints around the garden. The lower level is used as an orchard.
St. George Tucker Garden: According to documentation, St. George Tucker was an accomplished amateur gardener by the time he moved to Williamsburg and began to construct his garden around 1788. The physical layout and plan for garden reconstruction in the rear yard was revealed through recent extensive archaeological excavation. The planting palette for this reconstructed landscape and garden was selected from original Tucker plant lists and other plant lists of the period. A number of old bulb varieties that were formerly located on the property (and transplanted to Colonial Williamsburg’s 10-acre nursery facility for safekeeping) have been brought back to the site and replanted.
THE CHARLETON HOUSE, 410 E. Duke of Gloucester Street. Records
indicate that wigmaker Edward Charleton owned this residence by 1769. A
fortuitous discovery in a local attic uncovered his account book, which documented
his high-profile clientele, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson
and George Wythe.
The Henley family owned the property from 1819 to 1886. One son
commanded the local militia at the outbreak of the Civil War, while the second
son served as an assistant surgeon in the Confederate army. A niece residing
in the home at that time recorded the events of 1862 surrounding the Battle
of Williamsburg and the Union occupation of the town. The “Journal
of Harriette Cary,” preserved at the Swem Library of the College of William & Mary,
is a significant documentation of the events in Williamsburg during the Civil
War.
The Charleton House is one of the 88 existing original structures in
Colonial Williamsburg. The spacious center hall, with ten-and-a-half-foot
ceilings, runs the complete length of the house. The archway is not original,
but added to separate the front hall from the rear stairwell. Both the
parlor and dining room were decorated with the assistance of the Colonial Williamsburg
Design Studio. These rooms are furnished with antique and reproduction
pieces, including a small Shaker table, pillar and scroll clock, as well as
a black rocker used by three generations of the resident’s family.
Upstairs, the almost-nine-foot ceilings impart a feeling of spaciousness
in the stair hall and bedrooms. One bedroom has been converted into a
cozy den for modern comfort and convenience. Opened for Garden Week
by residents James and Karen Perry.
PROVIDENCE HALL AND THE CARRIAGE HOUSE, 410 East
Francis Street. Located just beyond Colonial Williamsburg’s Historic
Area, Providence Hall was added to the facilities of the Williamsburg Inn
in 1981 as an executive retreat. The history of this house is one of continuous
change. Originally built in 1770, near the Chickahominy River, the manse
was part of a colonial mill and forge site. Next, it became known as the “Forge
House.” Most recently, Colonial Williamsburg transported the
wooden structure to a prominent location bordering the Historic Area. Each
of these stages has contributed to the appearance of Providence Hall today.
Rich details of Providence Hall House are abundant. The black walnut
foyer staircase is adorned with ornamental brackets. The parlor room’s
original mantel and décor carry the theme of Virginia comfort. The hallway
and front rooms are embellished with wainscoting distinguished by molded panels
installed above and below chair rails. All three bedrooms have their own sitting
areas. The dining room is furnished in the style of an 18th century tavern.
The Carriage House, located across the brick terrace from the main house, offers
additional guest accommodations. Although proportionally modest, the majority
of its charming furnishings are period-correct.
Providence Hall House is an example of historic authenticity combined
with modern conveniences and is often used for business retreat accommodation. Opened
for Garden Day by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.
Walnut Hills Area
(See directions above)
THE BUNTROCK HOME, 8 Bayberry Lane. This elegant
Colonial was built in 1930 by Bathurst Peachey, who challenged his architect
to design a center-hall Colonial duplicating the homes with spacious rooms
enjoyed in the Colonial era. Constructed with 18th century bricks,
the house incorporates many design elements gleaned from structures in nearby
Colonial Williamsburg. The residence is situated on a knoll overlooking
a gently sloping, naturally terraced yard with an abundance of specimen shade
trees, boxwood and flowering plants, including two massive white wisterias
at the entrance to the house. The original landscape design was the
vision of Stanley Abbott, local landscape architect, whose projects included
the design of the Blue Ridge Parkway.
The house has a varying rhythm of rooms, opening one onto the other
as acts in a play. With a disciplined eclecticism, the owner has filled
the rooms with paintings, glass castings and statuary by local artists, as
well as some of her own creations. A felicitous mixture of media, each
room provides its own animated rapport. The formal dining room with built-in
corner cabinets opens into a calming library filled with soft, abundant texture
provided by collections of Jeffersonian scallop shells collected on local jaunts.
The current owner purchased the house in 1994. Renovations included
enlarging and updating the 1930s kitchen and adding a conservatory and garages,
while successfully integrating a variety of architectural and aesthetic styles
inside and out. On Garden Day, many of the floral arrangements
throughout the house will interpret the owner’s collection of artwork. Opened
for Garden Day by owner, Terry Emory Buntrock.
THE RIDINGER HOME, 5 Canterbury Lane. This
charming Dutch Colonial built in 1985 serves as an autobiography. Each
room defines a chapter in the lives of the current owners, who are avid and
dedicated collectors of American antique furniture and decorative arts. In
the spacious foyer, the horizontal line of the Connecticut chest and flanking
Philadelphia Chippendale chairs is broken by a tall, dramatic grandfather
clock, an original William Cummings piece. In the soft-hued sitting
room, a mid-19th century Hudson River Valley painting hangs above the distinctive
mantelpiece, providing the room’s focal point.
The sitting room opens into a light-filled library overlooking the rear
gardens below. The totally renovated kitchen has maintained a true Colonial
feel, with antique allegorical Delft tiles incorporated into the tiled backsplash. The
formal boxwood garden, abundant with daffodils, can be enjoyed from the breakfast
table nestled in the bay window of the kitchen.
In the upstairs stairwell are two portraits: one of the owner and the
other of her daughter. Both were painted by the owner’s father. The
three upstairs bedrooms -- one master and one each for granddaughter and grandson
-- are decorated with carefully selected antique pieces conveying a vibrant
feel for the past. The lower-level fourth bedroom features a brick floor
and many windows, opening onto a brick terrace. Outside, the walk toward
the woodland gazebo is a mixture of footfalls, combining the hard surface of
the brick terrace with the soft crunch of the gravel path, which leads through
the massed hellebores thriving beneath the flowering dogwood trees. Opened
for Garden Week by owners Mr. and Mrs. Charles W. Ridinger III.
Williamsburg—“Runningmeade”
“RUNNINGMEADE,” 106 Mill Neck Road. This
majestic English Tudor house was built by the Wallace family in 1929 on 10
acres of land purchased from the College of William & Mary. Crews
working nearby on the restoration of Colonial Williamsburg completed portions
of the house on nights and weekends. The commanding regal façade
is enhanced by varying steeply pitched rooflines, leaded-glass windows and
soaring chimneys. The brickwork is laid in the English bond pattern,
and the cement roof shingles were made on-site during the construction. Of
particular interest are the cast-concrete fleur-de-lis plaques on
the front façade and the keystones above several openings that are
made of multiple pieces of vertically stacked slate.
The original leaded-glass front door gives way to an open foyer with
unobstructed views of the dining and living rooms. Typical of English Tudor
style, the house has dark oak floors and trim work throughout. In the
dining room, the carved-rope and fleur-de-lis trim on the built-in
corner cupboards is distinctive, as is the series of Wedgwood plates featuring
famous London landmarks, providing a focal point above the windows. Just
off the living room is a delightful screened porch, offering vistas of Lake
Matoaka and an impressive old oak tree fronted by a formal boxwood garden surrounded
by brick walls.
On the stairwell to the second floor hangs a brass rubbing done by the
owner at Exeter Cathedral in England. In the guest bedroom, the quilt
on the bed was made by the owner’s mother. Another quilt created
by the owner’s great-grandmother is displayed on the quilt rack. The
family heirloom christening dress is shadow-boxed above the bed. Opened for
the first time for Garden Week by owners Randy and Shelby Hawthorne.
ALSO OF INTEREST:
THE ADAMS GARDEN, corner of North Boundary St. and
Richmond Rd. Dedicated in 1986 in memory of Gregory S. Adams, a member
of the College of William & Mary Class of 1981, the garden (located at
the corner of North Boundary St. and Richmond Rd.) has become a popular spot
for outdoor lunches and study breaks.
Originally planted with azaleas and small bulbs, this enchanting garden’s
collection now includes an interesting variety of both woody and herbaceous
material which can be viewed from the crushed oyster-shell path meandering
throughout. Local and international visitors plan regular visits to
enjoy what is in flower.
The garden has been lovingly cared for by Madelynn Watkinson, a volunteer
who has worked with support from College staff to create and maintain this
quiet point of
beauty.
BRUTON PARISH CHURCH’S HISTORIC SILVER AND PRAYER
BOOK are on display in St. Mary’s Chapel in the Bruton Parish
House, one block west of the church, from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. The display
includes the 17th century communion silver used in the church at Jamestown,
as well as the service presented by King George III to Governor Botetourt in
1768. Also on display is the restored 1751 prayer book used at Bruton
during the 18th century, with notes and paste-ins added at that time. The
prayer for the King was replaced with one for the President of the United States
after the Revolution. The grounds of Bruton Parish Church were recently
enhanced by The Garden Club of Virginia with funding from Historic Garden Week
in Virginia tours.
MATTEY’S GARDEN is located at Matthew Whaley Elementary School on Scotland St., adjacent to the brick wall surrounding the Governor’s Palace in Colonial Williamsburg. This special children’s garden was a gift from The Williamsburg Garden Club to the City of Williamsburg in honor of its 300th anniversary (1699-1999). Garden programs involve participation by each grade level in such projects as a sunflower house, an alphabet garden, a water garden, a colonial herb garden, vegetable and flower gardening, composting and wildlife habitats. The garden was the winner of The Garden Club of Virginia’s Common Wealth Award, thus enabling The Williamsburg Garden Club to fund another community children’s garden at Clara Byrd Baker Elementary School. Mattey’s Garden will be open to the public free of charge from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on tour day. Parking in the school lot is allowed during these hours while visitors view the garden.
In honor of the 75th Anniversary of Historic Garden Week in 2008 and to show appreciation for the support received for our tour for many years, The Williamsburg Garden Club has made donations to the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and the College of William & Mary for the "care, culture, and planting of gardens,” including those such as The Adams Garden and the Colonial Williamsburg gardens on tour.