Thank you to the Garden Club of Virginia for sponsoring this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I may be a little biased, but I think Virginia is one of the prettiest states. Probably THE prettiest. There are mountains, the coast, historic towns, fresh neighborhoods, and equal parts nature and city.

And one event that really showcases all the prettiness that is Virginia is Historic Garden Week.

Every spring the Virginia Garden Club hosts Historic Garden Week, where blooming gardens, historic homes, and beautiful sites across the state are open to the public for viewing.

This year I took a girl’s trip with my mom and sister to visit the beautiful homes and gardens of Richmond’s Seminary Avenue neighborhood, also known as Ginter Park.

Get ready for some seriously beautiful homes and flowers.

Historic Garden Week: How It Works

If you haven’t visited or heard of Garden Week before, let me explain a little bit more how it works. There are almost 30 different cities or counties in Virginia that have tours during the week, each on a particular day. You can see this year’s tour locations for an idea of what places are open.

Historic Garden Week 2019 is already set for April 27 – May 4.

It’s not possible to visit every single location due to the amount and distance between them, but you can select a few you’re interested in or check out suggested itineraries.

You can buy your ticket in advance online, or at the tour headquarters the day of the event. Because the tours are open house style tickets don’t sell out. Just arrive at the appropriate time and place to start visiting!

Proceeds from your ticket to Historic Garden Week allow the Virginia Garden Club to continue their work restoring and preserving Virginia’s gardens and landscapes.

Historic Garden Week: The Homes of Seminary Avenue, Richmond

Despite being from Virginia I really hadn’t explored the state’s capital as much as I would have liked. So for Historic Garden Week I decided to visit Seminary Avenue, a turn-of-the-century Richmond neighborhood that is full of Southern charm and stately properties.

We walked to six different homes along Seminary Avenue, admiring the varied architectural styles and wide roads that were made with streetcars in mind at the end of the 19th century. Major Lewis Ginter, co-founder of the American Tobacco Company, planned this gorgeous neighborhood.

As we stopped at each home we were greeted by Garden Club volunteers who welcomed us into the property and explained the history of the house. We were led from room to room, tastefully decorated with graceful floral arrangements, and got to learn about the restoration and use of the homes over the years.

Over 2,300 flower arrangements are created to decorate the locations for Historic Garden Week.

Some of the homes began as single family dwellings in the early 1900s, were transformed into boarding houses over the years, and now are reverted back to their original state. Many owners have done renovations to keep the integrity of the homes, but also make them functional today with modern kitchens and other additions.

What’s great about the tour is that we were able to learn local history about the properties and neighborhood that we would otherwise not have access to.

Historic Garden Week: The Beautiful Flowers

This whole event isn’t called Historic Garden Week for nothing. As beautiful as the homes are, spring in Virginia is truly a spectacular sight and the gardens did not disappoint.

I already mentioned the floral arrangements that decorated the interiors, and the exterior gardens were also available for visiting.

As someone with a not so green thumb, I have such an appreciation for the time and effort it takes to create such lovely outdoor spaces. And do you see that pool?!

Of course I was all over Zillow trying to see if a renovated historic home complete with stunning gardens was in my budget after visiting!

(Surprise…it’s not right now!)

♦

As dedicated HGTV watchers, local history lovers, and basic gals who like flowers, visiting one of Richmond’s Historic Garden Week tours was a great day trip.

Know Before You Go

While each tour is unique, with considerations for parking, tour hours, and accessibility varying by location, there are a few universal things you should know before heading out on a Historic Garden Week tour.

Wear comfortable shoes – We walked to and toured several homes in the neighborhood, and they all weren’t next to each other. Depending on your tour, you could also have a little distance to walk between the open house locations.
Interior photography is not allowed – Pictures of the arrangements may get posted online by the hosting garden club, however.
Check the forecast – Tours run rain or shine, and we had a bit of rain on our tour day. Bring an umbrella and/or galoshes!

P.S. See what I wore for the tour in my vacation style post.

Check the Historic Garden Week FAQ page for more information.