Windsor Farms is the Focus in 2017

The Richmond portion of Historic Garden Week in Virginia should be wonderful this year. The tour focuses on houses and gardens in the Windsor Farms neighborhood, which was created as a planned residential development in 1926. It was modeled after a similar development in New Jersey, and it was sited just on the James River.  Having lived directly across the street from the River when I was very young and then having spent my later childhood just up the hill from the James, I know how lovely the setting can be. Certainly "buggy" at times, but always beautiful.

The James River

The James has been an important body of water for so many, and for so long--as we all know, it was crucial to the Native American Indians and the English Colonists, with the Jamestown Settlement having been established on the banks of The James and the first colonial capital of Williamsburg having also occupied frontage on The James. The River also hosts the modern day capital of Virginia at Richmond. In addition to its status as "landmark", The River has also served several of the needs of those living on its shores. It has provided drinking water, shipping lanes, a shipbuilding enterprise, as well as recreational space for sailing, fishing and swimming.  It seems as though the James has always been part of my life as a Virginian. (How about you? If you're a Virginian, I would love to hear your thoughts and memories about The James.) And so I'm happy that it plays such a big part of this year's tour.  If you'd like to learn more about the James River and its tributaries, canals, etc, please hurry over to Amazon and order a wonderfully researched and written book entitled Cabell's Canal: The Story of The James River and Kanawha. It was written by my former father in law (whom I still view as my father in law!), Langhorne Gibson, Jr.

Windsor Farms

The Windsor Farms neighborhood is one of my favorite in Richmond. It was modeled after what a small English village might look like, and the map above is the actual plan for the development. It shows easements, parcels, lot sizes and even some owners, according to the website davidrumsey.com. The houses in Windsor Farms are generally Colonial Revival in style, though there are also Capes, Tudors and even one or two houses that are more "modern" in style. In addition, though the development was built beginning in the 1920s, there are three historic houses within it. Two were moved from England, and one was moved from another spot along the river at some point in the late 1920s or early 1930s.  

These historic houses, Virginia House, Agecroft Hall and Wilton, are not open for the tour, but it's good to be aware of them as you walk through the area.  In terms of whether the area contains any residences designed by well known architects, I learned from the GCV Historic Garden Week Guidebook http://www.vagardenweek.org/main/tourdetails?id=339 that there are, indeed, houses designed by two fairly well known architects, Duncan Lee and William Bottomley. Lee was a native Virginian and created all of his designs for clients in the Commonwealth, while Bottomley had a broader reach with his designs, though a great number were created for Virginians.

In looking at all of the magnificent houses on tour today, the one I would most want to see is the house belonging to the great-grandson of John Tyler, the 10th President of the United States. If I'm not mistaken, the owner of this house was in my sister's class in high school. And according to the description in the Guidebook, there are several letters written by President Tyler on display, as well as a painting of President Tyler's home, Sherwood Forest, by the artist Patrick Duffey, whose William & Mary and University of Virginia works can be found in my parents' house as well as in my own. That would satisfy my interest in history and art for the day! (But take a look at this little article if you're interested in fascinating facts....https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2017-02-20/president-john-tyler-born-in-1790-still-has-2-living-grandsons )

As far as my interests architecturally, if it came down to it and I thought that time might be a concern, I would choose to tour Canterbury . Canterbury is a 1935 Bottomley design, with more recent updates done in accordance with Bottomley's original thinking for this Georgian with a James River view. The garden is, I am certain, spectacular. Simply reading about the terracing and boxwood leaves no doubt in my mind!  If I could get these two houses and gardens into my day, I would then proceed to Tuckahoe Plantation, the childhood home of Thomas Jefferson. Though not located within Windsor Farms, the house is just a short drive away. And it really is a "must see". In fact, it would be my "top pick" of the entire day in Richmond.

The gardens at Tuckahoe Plantation are so very Virginia. I cannot describe in words just how beautiful they are. You must go see for yourself. A look at the kitchen herb garden (below) is enough to have me thinking to myself, "Where is a bench? I could spend all day just sitting here!" But if I were to linger too long in the herb, boxwood and flowering garden, I would miss out on the other beautiful spaces at this historic property. There is another boxwood garden on the property, called the "Ghost Walk", and it is significant for a reason that I will leave to you to find out! In addition, there is a vegetable and flower garden that is breathtaking.

And finally, there are the daffodils. When in bloom, they line the path to the house and also dot the front of the property in clumps of gorgeous yellow. I hope they're still there, but with this weather, I wouldn't bet on anything. For more information on this National Historic Landmark property, please see this link: http://www.tuckahoeplantation.com/  The website is beautiful, and there are several offerings listed on the site that might appeal to those who live within driving distance.

Today should be a great day. Great houses, great gardens and great history.  Enjoy every minute!!

xobetsy