With magnificent views of the Blue Ridge Mountains to the west and the Bull Run Mountains to the east, the Oak Spring estate is part of the once much larger Rokeby Farms and was the home of Paul Mellon and Rachel “Bunny” Lambert Mellon, two of the greatest American art collectors and philanthropists of the late twentieth century. Included in the tour are part of the main Mellon residence and all of its extensive garden, the formal greenhouse, Oak Spring Gallery and the Broodmare Barn, where Paul Mellon raised many of his most successful thoroughbreds, including Sea Hero, winner of the 1993 Kentucky Derby.  The main residence is a complex of whitewashed stone buildings designed by the New York architect H. Page Cross. The walled garden was designed by Bunny Mellon and incorporates a series of individually designed formal and informal spaces, separated by low stone walls and brick and gravel paths, and set on three terraces. Distinctive features include espaliered fruit trees, two reflecting pools and a bridge to a garden pavilion. Beyond the north wall, an allée of crabapples leads to the formal greenhouse with two further reflecting pools.  The Oak Spring Gallery houses an exhibit on Mrs. Mellon and her family.  

Please note, the Little Oak Spring ticket includes admission to Little Oak Spring only, now home to the Oak Spring Garden Foundation.  The Middleburg tour requires a separate ticket and is available on the same days, making for a once-in-a-lifetime touring experience.