Photo courtesy of Historic Garden Week
Orange tulips
On Saturday, April 17, Old Town Alexandria will welcome visitors to enjoy a walking tour of beautifully decorated exteriors and gardens as part of Historic Garden Week in Virginia. This self-guided tour, envisioned as “A Springtime Stroll: Doorways of Our Past and Future,” will feature historic sites and homes nestled along the tree-lined streets of the Historic District of Old Town.
This easy walking tour offers exterior views of more than a dozen homes with notable history and is anchored by four historical properties: the Lee-Fendall House garden, the Ramsay House garden, the Athenaeum garden and St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. Along the route, homes will be adorned with blue-ribbon worthy wreaths, planters and window boxes created by members of the Garden Club of Alexandria and the Hunting Creek Garden Club.
On April 17, ticket holders will have exclusive access to the Lee-Fendall House garden, where experts will be on hand to discuss native and medicinal plants and which will be the site of a special plant sale for ticket holders. Ticket holders also will have access to the garden at the Athenaeum, which will be decorated for an afternoon luncheon.
The week of April 17-24, ticket holders will have free admission to the grounds of Mount Vernon and discounted pricing for reserving interior tours of the Mount Vernon estate. Gunston Hall also is offering ticket holders discounted pricing to tour the Gunston Hall mansion, grounds and museum for the week of April 17-24.
The Old Town Alexandria tour is part of the Garden Club of Virginia’s statewide tour of gardens, and is made possible by the generous support of McEnearney Associates. The Garden Club of Virginia tours, a beloved tradition resuming for 2021, are being carefully planned to allow for social distancing while allowing visitors to enjoy gardens at the peak of springtime blooming. All visitors must wear a face mask and comply with the most up-to date Virginia and City of Alexandria COVID guidelines.
The Old Town Alexandria tour will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 17 and offers exterior views only. A map of the Old Town tour will be emailed to ticket holders prior to April 17. Exterior floral installations along the tour route may be viewed by ticket holders anytime during the week of April 17-24. Access to the Lee-Fendall House garden and plant sale and Athenaeum garden will only be available on April 17.
Tickets must be purchased in advance for $25 at VAGardenWeek.org. Tickets are timed for morning entry (10 a.m.) and afternoon entry (1 p.m.). A limited number of tickets will be sold for each entry time. Ticket sales end on April 16 or when the tour reaches capacity. To achieve a touchless experience, there will be no Advance Ticket locations for any tours statewide and no State Passes.
The Old Town Alexandria tour will be held on April 17, rain or shine. Information on parking in Old Town Alexandria can be accessed via the Alexandria Visitor Center website: https://www.visitalexandriava.com/plan/parking/
Staying Healthy
To keep visitors safe, all visitors must wear a face mask and comply with the most up-to date Virginia and City of Alexandria COVID guidelines.
About Historic Garden Week in Virginia
Virginia's Historic Garden Week is presented by the Garden Club of Virginia and is the only statewide house and garden tour in the country. Historic Garden Week encompasses 30 unique tours organized and hosted by 48 member clubs located across the state, from Tidewater to the Shenandoah. This eight-day statewide event provides visitors a unique opportunity to see unforgettable gardens at the peak of Virginia's springtime color, as well as beautiful flower arrangements created by Garden Club of Virginia members.
Tour proceeds fund the restoration and preservation of more than 40 of Virginia's historic public gardens and landscapes, a research fellowship program, and a Garden Club of Virginia Centennial project with Virginia State Parks. Historic Garden Week has raised millions of dollars to fund projects across Virginia, including conservation and restoration efforts at treasured landmarks like Mount Vernon, Stratford Hall, and The College of William & Mary. The total estimated economic impact of the Virginia tours totals $518 million over the last 50 years. To learn more, go to www.gcvirginia.org and look under “Our Work.”
