This year the weather was warm but the wind was fierce, making the whirly gigs on display too alluring for me to pass up. 
The last week in April in Virginia is Garden Week. It’s kicked off by an awesome festival out in Leesburg, Va. Where they shut down the streets and garden related vendors from all over set up their wares. This year the weather was warm but the wind was fierce, making the whirly gigs on display too alluring for me to pass up.
I, of course, also left with a ton of plants from a wonderful nursery, Putnam Nursery out of MD. They have a lot of native species and miniature perennials that I’ve never seen before. Next year though I’ll be sure to bring a wagon. You could tell who the seasoned vets of this event were, since they all had one, and I was envious of their ability to load them full of plant booty. 
The festival is only the start of Virginia Garden Week embracing its Garden heritage. Towns throughout the state host Home and Garden Tours. One of those tours this year was being held in McLean, VA. My Aunt and Uncle are members of this illustrious community and I drive by some of these amazing houses fairly often. All the while pining to get behind their gorgeous doors and gates. This tour afforded me the ability to do just that!! I booked tickets to the event and waited anxiously for the day to come. The day before was cold rainy and horrid, as spring in VA is often prone to be, but the day of rewarded us with a truly splendid day.
The first house, titled “Bienvenue”, was magnificent and quite possibly my favorite of the entire day. Bienvenue was built in 1754 and served as a hospital in the Civil War, many a fabulous artifact was found on the property and there were individuals, dressed in authentic Civil War garb, to greet us when we arrived to the property. The most striking feature about it though is the overall property. If you didn’t know it was there then you would never know it was there. We came in via the back of the property, up a few steps and through a hedge of trees, into a different light full display of garden, yard, and greenery.
The next home was modern and not exactly one of my favorites so I’ll just go ahead and move on to the third home. The third home, was the Spanish style home on an immaculate piece of property. The interior featured stunning imported pieces from France in many of the rooms along with magnificent sculptures and artwork. The property was equally breathtaking. This piece of land sits on a community owned pond in the backyard and was featured around it.
The next house was right down the road and the tour was only for the garden. The garden was immaculately completed and boasted a beautiful saltwater pool and peaceful fountain.
The final home, Old Langley Ordinary, was another a historic home that also served as a hospital in the Civil War and was built in 1842. The current homeowner rescued this house from dire straights in 2011 and restored it to it’s former glory in a stunning fashion. The house is very Americana, with a primitive vibe, but it comes together very well because of the style of the home. While typically Americana isn’t my favorite design style I think it was particularly well executed in this house. The owner has added many original pieces that he made himself, a kitchen island, a dinning table, and many others that add to the unique flare. The grounds are tiered with multiple garden areas and an amazing screened in wraparound porch.
To me this property and Bienvenue tied for first as the best houses/gardens of the day.
All and all, Virginia Garden Week was truly worth it. The cost was $40 per person which was a worthwhile cost to me to be able to peer into some of the homes I drive by and pique my curiosity about what’s inside. I’m anxiously awaiting to see what houses sign up next year and to do it all again!