Each spring visitors are welcomed to some of Virginia’s most beautiful gardens, homes and historic landmarks during “America’s Largest Open House” sponsored by the Garden Club of Virginia.
The week-long event across the state provides visitors an opportunity to see unforgettable gardens, beautiful houses, and inspiring landscape designs and floral arrangements.
Historic Garden Week in Staunton will begin Saturday, April 20, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. A stroll by the charming cottages and stately Colonial Revivals on Ridgeview Road provides a picturesque snapshot of Staunton’s early 20th-century residential development. Step inside four homes designed by noted local architect Samuel Collins of the T.J. Collins and Son firm and see his inspired use of classical details complimented by the owners’ creative updates. The gardens, one of which was designed by renowned landscape architect Charles Gillette, are graced with white picket fences, boxwood hedges, flowering borders and landscaped patios. Tour talks feature the neighborhood’s history, one owner’s National Register listing journey and the skilled work of Sam Collins.
25 Ridgeview Road
The 1927 Colonial Revival Goodloe House is accentuated by a Doric columned portico with Chippendale-style railing, and French doors with Craftsman-style brick accents. The interior center hall plan is accented by the owners’ Colonial Revival furnishings, period fixtures, and an original Mercer tiled hearth. Charles Gillette’s design for the garden and garage features brick walls enclosing a soapstone patio. Garden highlights include a newly planted knot garden with upright Germander and Santolina lavender cotton, and a secret garden and whimsical garden gate. The home is owned by Beth and Len Nelsen.
40 Ridgeview Road
The work of a master architect is evident in this Colonial Revival cottage with its arched entry with stepped courses of soldiered brick, front door capped by a fanlight, variegated brick, and corbeled cornice. Inside, the living and dining rooms retain their original cottage charm and are complemented by well-curated furnishings and art. A 1990s kitchen addition opens onto a patio and enclosed garden. A new island planting bed provides a focal point to this secluded rear yard retreat. The home is owned by Theresa and Bill Boyd.
45 Ridgeview Road
This 1941 home’s cantilevered balcony with ornate ironwork and oversized corbels combines elements of the Spanish Colonial style with Colonial Revival details. The variety of stylistic details carries inside to the foyer’s curved staircase and tall leaded glass window, a bracketed living room mantel, and Chippendale doors. All provide the perfect backdrop for the owner’s eclectic antiques, collections, and furnishings. Mature landscaping and a relaxing fountain enhance the rear patio. New stone pathways and flower beds lead around the house and through a sheltered Magnolia garden room. Norma and Tim Gates own the home.
50 Ridgeview Road
Designed c. 1934 for the Tattersall family, Collins evoked an English country house feel with asymmetrical lines, prominent chimneys, and white-washed brick. Original horse stalls and a pasture gave way to the current brick terrace and poolside patio. Spring bulbs, perennials, and herbs fill the side garden, and a cottage border of lavender and roses hugs the front white fence. Colonial Revival interior details complement the owner’s family antiques, some of which are original to the house. The English country character is accented by a collection of sporting and equestrian art. The owner is Nell Tattersall.
Tickets and parking:
- Advance tickets ($30) available online at org
- Day of tour tickets ($40) available at the Garden Tour headquarters – 41 Ridgeview Road, Staunton
- Parking for Tour Shuttle at Staunton High School, 1301 N. Coalter Street, Staunton
- Wear appropriate flat-heeled shoes for walking through gardens, yards, and on steps.
Tour activities include:
- A Sam Collins & Charles Gillette Legacy” at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.
- Front Door Floral Décor Basics at 2 p.m.
- Bartlett Tree Experts will be on hand to provide information and saplings.
- Plein Air Painters representing Beverley Street Studio School (BSSS) will be painting in the gardens during the tour. Their paintings will be on sale from 5 to 7 p.m. at the BSSS Gallery at 217 West Beverley Street. bssschool.org
Visitors are encouraged to enjoy Staunton’s award-winning downtown, scenic parks and museums.
Tour proceeds fund the Garden Club of Virginia’s restoration of historic public gardens and landscapes and a research fellowship program. In 90 years, Historic Garden Week has supported 129 projects at more than 50 locations across the state including properties such as Mount Vernon, Jefferson’s Poplar Forest and Staunton’s own Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library.
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Rebecca Barnabi
