Experience Historic Garden Week in Virginia’s Richmond Region

Book a Garden Week Package and Take Advantage of “America’s Largest Open House” April 17-25

Richmond, Va – Virginia’s Richmond Region invites visitors to experience the colors of spring during Historic Garden Week presented by the Garden Club of Virginia. Packages being offered by historic hotels make Richmond the perfect hub for Virginia Garden Week travelers.

Richmond hotels have you covered from five-star, five-diamond indulgent to historic and quaint. Centrally located in downtown Richmond, The Jefferson Hotel is the epitome of elegance with elaborate stained glass, detailed architecture and luxurious amenities. The Jefferson’s Historic Garden Week Package includes a choice of superior or deluxe accommodations, traditional Southern breakfast, breakfast gratuities, Garden Week guidebook, valet parking and a signature spring floral arrangement from Blooms at The Jefferson. Visitors won’t want to miss the hotel’s restaurant, Lemaire, which was recently named to Esquire Magazine’s list of top 20 new restaurants of 2009, due in part to its farm-to-table philosophy and item prices ranging from $5 to $30.

Also conveniently located in downtown, The Linden Row Inn is a historic urban hotel with European style. The hotel, which was once the play ground for Edgar Allen Poe, is comprised of seven row houses built in the mid-1800s, and meticulously restored over the years. The hotel is featuring three packages for Historic Garden Week ranging from one to two-night stays, including parking, continental breakfast, in-town shuttle service, fitness center access, Garden Week Tour tickets and a 4x6 matted photo of Richmond by Helen Chan.

During “America’s Largest Open House,” the Richmond Region will highlight four centuries of design with three tours that will feature more than 30 different homes, gardens and grounds:

The Windsor Farms Tour, April 20, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m., will showcase grand, elegant homes that have been lovingly restored.
The Church Hill Tour, April 21, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m., will introduce Historic Church Hill back to the forefront of elegance thanks to restoration projects emerging around St. John’s Church, the oldest and only surviving colonial structure in Church Hill.
*As a special treat for Garden Week attendees, a rousing reenactment of Patrick Henry’s stirring “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death” speech, which helped to spark the American Revolution, will be performed at St. John’s Church at 12:30 p.m.
The West Avenue Plus Two Walking Tour, April 22, 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., featuring eclectic furnishings from around the world and modern details merged with classic design. Numerous homes on the tour are featured for the first time!
*Free admission to the Museum and White House of the Confederacy is available during Garden Week for Garden Week attendees.
Tickets for the Historic Garden Week tours range from $10 to $35 per event and may be purchased on the day of the tour at any of the open properties, at designated information centers and in advance at www.VAGardenweek.org.

During Historic Garden Week, visitors will want to take the opportunity to enjoy the Richmond Region’s year-round flair for historic homes and gardens. Take a look at Richmond Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau’s Great Houses and Gardens Itinerary for more info about sites such as:

Agecroft Hall: a 15th-century Lancashire, England estate that was shipped across the Atlantic and painstakingly reassembled on the rolling banks of the James River.
Virginia House: constructed from the materials of a 16th century English manor house, features close to 1,000 types of ornamental plants that thrive throughout formal and naturalistic gardens.
Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden: during Historic Garden Week, Lewis Ginter will be featuring  "Glorious Glass in the Garden," showcasing the work of renowned glass artist Hans Godo Frabel. More than 100 pieces will be on display throughout the gardens.
James River Plantations: Just outside of Richmond, the James River Plantations offer stunning beauty and rich history. Homes include Berkeley Plantation, home of the first official Thanksgiving; Shirley Plantation, established in 1613, the oldest plantation in Virginia; and Sherwood Forest Plantation, home of 10th U.S. President John Tyler.
 
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ABOUT Historic Garden Week
Beginning in 1927, the Garden Club of Virginia has sponsored tours to benefit the restoration of historic landscapes throughout the Commonwealth. This year, three dozen tours will bring to life history that is reflected in the styles of the homes and landscapes from the Colonial era, American Revolution, Civil War, Victorian period up to the 21st Century. Please visit www.GCVirginia.org for additional information.

 
ABOUT RMCVB
The Richmond Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau (RMCVB), the official destination marketing and tourism organization for the Richmond Region, is a private, not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting the Region to meeting planners, tour operators and leisure travelers. RMCVB operates three Visitor Centers located at the Greater Richmond Convention Center downtown, the Richmond International Airport and Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World in Hanover County.

More than 5.7 million people visit the Richmond Region annually, contributing more than $1.8 billion to the local economy. Tourism generates more than 26,000 jobs in the Richmond Region. For more information, visit www.VisitRichmondVA.com.

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