Mill Mountain Garden Club Historic Garden Week

2008 Garden Week

~ ROANOKE ~

Sponsored by The Mill Mountain Garden Club and
The Roanoke Valley Garden Club

Saturday, April 26, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Chairman:
Deborah McDonald (Mrs. Thomas R., Jr.)
2929 Crystal Spring Avenue, SW
Roanoke, VA 24014
Telephone: (540) 345-1734
Email: dmcdonald2929@verizon.net

Co-Chairman:
Elaine Stephenson (Mrs. William C.)
2525 Cornwallis Avenue,
Roanoke, VA 24014
Telephone: (540) 342-4812
Email: esinteriors@yahoo.com

DIRECTIONS FROM THE NORTH, EAST AND WEST: Take I-81 to Roanoke. Take I-581 in Roanoke to Wonju St. exit. Go south on Wonju St. As Wonju St. crosses Franklin Rd., it becomes Broadway Ave. Follow Broadway about 0.4 mi. to McClanahan St. Turn right on McClanahan St. and proceed three blocks to Jefferson St. Turn right on Jefferson St. and proceed three blocks to the South Roanoke Methodist church on the left, where parking will be available.

FROM THE SOUTH: From Rt. 220, take the exit to Franklin Rd. Turn right at the end of the ramp. Go 1.5 mi. to the stoplight at the intersection with Broadway Ave. Turn right onto Broadway and follow above directions to the South Roanoke Methodist Church.

FULL TICKET: $20. No single-house tickets. Tickets may be purchased the day of the tour at South Roanoke Methodist Church. Children 6-12, half-price. Children 5 and younger, free admission. Children younger than 17 must be accompanied by an adult. Houses need not be visited in the order listed.

ADVANCE TICKETS: Tickets may be purchased until Monday, April 21, by sending checks payable to “Historic Garden Week” and mailed to Roanoke Council of Garden Clubs, 3640 Colonial Ave., Roanoke VA 24018. Tickets will also be available for purchase at several locations around the Roanoke Valley. For more information, call (540) 343-4519. Tickets may be purchased by credit card for an additional fee by accessing www.VaGardenweek.org

LUNCHEON: By reservation only. A gourmet box lunch by Chanticleer Catering will be available at South Roanoke Methodist Church from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for $10. Please make checks payable to Libba Lemon and mail to Mrs. Libba Lemon, 3169 West Ridge Road, SW, Roanoke, VA 24014. Checks must be received by Tuesday, April 22. For lunch information, telephone (540) 342-8616 or email Libbalemon@gmail.com

   CHUNKY CHICKEN SALAD W/GRAPES, APPLES, & WALNUTS
   GINGER LINGUINI
   FRESH FRUIT SALAD
   CROISSANT WITH SLICED HAVARTI & CRANBERRY PEACH CHUTNEY
   CAPPUCCINO CHOCOLATE BROWNIE & CHEWY CRANBERRY BAR

REFRESHMENTS: Weather permitting, light refreshments will be served from 2-4 p.m. at 2705 Longview Avenue outside overlooking the Lawson garden.

SPECIAL EVENT: There will be a lecture/demonstration on “Garden Statuary” featuring containers and statuary from Black Dog Salvage during the lunch hour. Examples of garden statuary will be available at the lunch location at South Roanoke Methodist Church from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

~ APRIL AROUND AVENHAM ~

:: A WALKING TOUR OF HOMES AROUND AVENHAM AVENUE

2705 LONGVIEW AVENUE. This 1922 brick Georgian Colonial graces the streetscape from a high vantage point. Its setting on the surrounding almost-acre lot is proportionate and lends to a feeling of permanence. The Gilbert Butler family lived here from the 1920s through the 1940s. Mr. Butler was a prominent community leader and a vice president of the N&W Railroad. Although the house is traditional in design, the current owners have added their own distinct style in the mixture of old and modern furnishings and art. A handsome central stairway accents the entrance, with Persian rugs and English and American antiques decorating the interior. Of special interest in the living room is an American (Shenandoah Valley) step-back cupboard circa 1830 with its original glass and an unusual Federal fireplace mantel. Two sets of French doors lead to an airy, bright sunroom. In the dining room is an 1892 portrait of Mrs. Julia Chaney, a relative of the owner. The portrait was painted by an eighteen-year-old artist from New York and features the original frame by Tiffanys of New York. Large central hallways on the ground level and the second floor give a spacious feel to the house. A recently added master suite with a separate dressing area and renovated bath provides a comfortable and cheerful atmosphere.

The two-level kitchen is large for a house of this era, and a back stairway conveniently adds access to the upstairs bedrooms. A beautiful raised circular deck off the kitchen offers a lovely view of the city, and a patio with a water feature and extensive landscaping invites guests to stroll through the well-tended perennial gardens. Open for the first time. Mr. and Mrs. Robert C. Lawson, owners.

2730 AVENHAM AVENUE. Built in 1932, this Tudor-style house was owned by the Episcopal Diocese of Southwest Virginia for almost seventy years. It served as home to two Bishops of the Diocese; hence it became known as the Bishop’s House. The current owners purchased the residence in 2001 and decided to keep the original feel of the structure, so renovations were minor except for the kitchen. Doorways to the kitchen were widened and arched in a similar fashion to those in the living room and dining room. Rustic ceiling beams from a pre-Civil War barn were added, along with pine cabinets and concrete countertops to give it a European country kitchen feel. The butler’s pantry was turned into a breakfast room, and a cozy banquette gives warmth to the room. A fireplace was added to the den as well as French doors that allow the family to walk out onto the patio overlooking the garden. The patio also features a scenic view of Mill Mountain. Throughout the house, unusual artwork and pieces of furniture reflect the family’s interest in travel. Interesting mixes of paint and window treatments in each room attest to the owners’ creative abilities.

The grounds have been lovingly planned and planted by the owners, who have turned this corner lot into a beautiful garden enjoyed by the entire neighborhood. A focal point of the landscape is a statue of the Roman goddess Minerva, discovered and purchased by the owners on a trip to Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania. Many of the plants have been gifts from gardening friends, including the peonies, sedum, hosta, Lenten rose and many of the specimens in the rock garden. Designed to bloom from early spring through fall, the shrubs, perennials and climbing vines are meant to be enjoyed for their variety of color and texture. Open for the first time. Mr. and Mrs. R. Gil Lynch III, owners.

2629 AVENHAM AVENUE. This handsome house was built in the style of an English cottage in 1926. The present owners have made extensive renovations since purchasing it in 2001. Designed by the late Robert Allen, acclaimed Roanoke architect, the exterior is whitewashed brick with a distinctive slate roof.

At the entrance, a tone is set which combines elegance with warmth and comfort. The interior is filled with antiques collected by the owners while living in Europe and were purchased during travels to France, Germany and Switzerland. Of special interest are German and Scandinavian armoires, French and American ice boxes, an English chest and a French antique bed that had been converted to a hall bench. Enhancing the faux-finished walls are works by artists Ann Hale, Betsy Glassie, Celeste Corbin, Lucia Sarto, Joan Limbrick and Deborah McGee. Lovely Persian rugs cover the floors. The kitchen underwent a complete renovation in 2007.

The grounds, originally designed by Blue Ridge Parkway landscape architect Stanley Abbott, feature a sunken garden with a Japanese maple collection. A massive oak centers the yard, with azaleas transitioning the upper and lower gardens. Ferns, hostas and hydrangeas predominate in the lower beds while the upper garden is a mixture of roses, gardenias, camellias and blackberry lilies. Dr. and Mrs. Eric D. Swisher, owners.

2713 AVENHAM AVENUE. Fairacres, one of the most prominent residences in Roanoke, was built in 1911-12 in the Tudor Revival style. The house was constructed for business leader W. C. Stephenson, and it remained in his family for fifty years until the Roanoke Council of Garden Clubs acquired it in 1963. The current owners purchased the residence in 2003, thereby preventing a probable demolition by developers.

The owners are experienced preservationists and have restored the home with sensitivity to the existing structure and layout. The scale of the public rooms is commensurate with a grand house from this period. The dining room, drawing room, library and entrance hall did not require structural renovation, and the original chestnut paneling is intact and treated to reveal the beauty and age of the grain. The former service kitchen, scullery and butler’s pantry became a modern gourmet kitchen, and the former coal cellar now serves as a plant room where the owners raise seedlings for their large vegetable garden. A state-of-the-art wine cellar is also located in the basement. A grand entrance hall and staircase with original leaded-glass windows grace the landing, and original glass windows are featured throughout the public rooms. Furnishings of note include an extensive art collection from the owners’ travels and antique floor coverings.

Fairacres’ exterior stone came from the nearby Rorer iron-ore mine, no longer in use, and thus the stone’s distinctive color is influenced by its high iron content. Recently constructed, an adjacent five-car garage and office wing is separated by a breezeway and is architecturally compatible with the original house. The property encompasses two and a half acres, re-contoured with more than 150 specimen trees, and includes a woodland garden at the north end of the house, an extensive vegetable garden at the south end, and park-like landscaping in front. This splendid historic estate with 21st-century relevance is a must-see. Open for the first time. Mr. and Mrs. J. David Wine, owners.

PLACES OF INTEREST: Visitors to the 2008 tour are invited to enjoy the many historic, cultural, horticultural and artistic attractions in the Roanoke Valley, including the following:

THE DENTON MONUMENT (old tombstone) located near the Hollins University campus in Old Tombstone Cemetery. This in one of Virginia’s most important works of folk art, created sometime around 1850 by Laurence Krone, a noted German stone carver of the 19th century. CENTER IN THE SQUARE, the cultural hub of the Roanoke Valley, located in Roanoke’s historic downtown market area. THE WILDFLOWER GARDEN ON MILL MOUNTAIN, developed and maintained by The Mill Mountain Garden Club. VIRGINIA’S EXPLORE PARK, a living history venue featuring a re-creation of early settlements of Southwest Virginia.

:: AREA GARDEN CLUB OF VIRGINIA RESTORATIONS:

BEALE MEMORIAL GARDEN at Hollins University. With funding from Historic Garden Week tours, The Garden Club of Virginia has restored the garden, given in 1930 in memory of Lucy Preston Beale, a student at the school during the Civil War.

HISTORIC SMITHFIELD, on the Virginia Tech campus, Blacksburg. Exit Rt. 314 off Rt. 460 bypass, follow directional signs. Frontier leader Col. William Preston finished this house in 1775. The 1,900-acre estate was home for his son, James Patton Preston, governor of Virginia. Sen. William Ballard Preston, who died in 1862, was the last real master of Smithfield. Originally, a stockade surrounded this elegant story-and-a-half frame house, and it was used as a frontier fort. The two Chinese Chippendale stair rails, high-paneled chimneypieces, wainscoting and dado paneling throughout are original. The drawing room, in particular, resembles the Raleigh Tavern in Williamsburg, which Col. Preston frequented as a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses. The basement houses a museum with an outstanding collection of Indian artifacts. Included in the furnishings are some Preston family pieces. Two dependencies on the property have been restored. The Garden Club of Virginia landscaped the grounds at Smithfield in 1981-84 with proceeds from Historic Garden Week tours. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register, the plantation is open April 1 through the first week in December. Call (540) 231-3947 or use the web site listed below for hours of operation. Admission is $5 for adults, $2 for children, and $3 for college students. Smithfield is the property of the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities. Web site: www.smithfieldplantation.org

FINCASTLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. Fincastle. The grounds of this historic church were a restoration project of The Garden Club of Virginia in 1942-43, using funds from Historic Garden Week. Structural repairs were necessary to the iron fences. A gate and brick wall were built along the west side of the graveyard. Simple plantings completed the restoration at the time.

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