Earlier today I shared some pictures of my favorite homes in Colonial Williamsburg, Va and now I want to show you some of the gardens The Girl and I spotted during our afternoon there.
I’m no Colonial expert or anything, but I’m pretty sure a 4 foot high fence with a cutesy garden lock isn’t going to keep the pillagers out. Do you think they just put the lock there as a “please don’t take my vegetables” courtesy or is there something seriously wrong with me because my first thought when I saw the lock was “I’d just jump the fence.”
Espalier trees are the coolest thing ever, aren’t they? We purchased 2 this spring and I can’t wait until their limbs are filled with apples and pears in a few years.
Flowers are lovely, but if this was my backyard, It would be jam-packed with vegetables, not flowers.
A bean trellis. I wanted to kiss it.
Cold frames. I suppose they were in constant use during the winter months in Virginia. Here they are being used as a raised garden bed for watermelons.
I’m not sure what was in the first garden bed, but the second one had horseradish.
Ye- Olde Garden Shed. Ain’t she pretty? I wonder what kind of shenanigans went on in there. And look at the old fashioned wheel barrow. I bet they didn’t pick that up at the Home Depot.
And last but no least, here’s a picture of the town’s basket weaver on her break. The Girl Who Thinks She’s a Bird thought she was texting. I couldn’t tell, but if I had to weave baskets all day in 90 degree weather in a full dress, bonnet and 100% humidity I’d be texting Regis Philbin for a lifeline too.
Colonial Williamsburg, Va was a cool place to visit and I’ve move there in a heartbeat {as long as I could have indoor plumbing, air conditioning and electricity}. 😉
~Mavis
Mindy says
Oh my – I love that garden lock AND the espalier trees AND the wheelbarrow! Wondering if my handy hubby can craft me up one : )
Mavis Butterfield says
Ha! Ask him if he can make 2. 🙂
Helen in Meridian says
I was surprised how small the buildings were. We are so used to DisneyWor;ld extravaganza that even the ceiling height and smallness of rooms where several men slept was so small. I arrived carrying my Felicity American Girl doll, so she was greeted at every door.
Mavis Butterfield says
Love you Helen! 🙂
Katie C. says
I want some espaliers! We are in the process of buying our first home. Maybe next year! I love seeing the wonderful places you visit! Beautiful photos!
bobbie says
If you liked williamsburg, you would love Thomas jeffersons monticello, in charlottesville, Virginia. The gardens there are awesome, the house is amazing, and you can buy heirloom seed that Jefferson used. Pretty neat stuff.
Preppy Pink Crocodile says
Do you or any of your readers have advice on growing horseradish? I got a plant (well it was just a small root back then) this spring at a Food Swap and it’s growing awesome. Huge and green. But I have no idea what to do with it. The girl I swapped with told me to grow it in a container- so I am. But beyond that, I’m clueless. Do you have any tips? When am I supposed to harvest it and do I harvest the whole root or leave some in the pot? And then of course, what do I do with that much of it?
I really should have thought this out before planting the thing but…well…I obviously didn’t. Ha.
KK
Kathy says
We live in a home designed in the 1950’s to reflect Colonial Williamsburg. It’s lovely, with wainscotting in all the downstairs rooms, and nine foot ceilings (something you rarely see in CA, where we last lived.) Thank you so much for publishing these pictures. We want to keep in the spirit of Williamsburg, though not slavishly (we do have hot and cold water, etc.) I would especially like to grow some of the same veggies found there. Did you by any chance keep a list of what you saw – other then horseradish?
Mavis Butterfield says
Yes! I’ll be sharing more pictures soon. 🙂
Rebecca says
I actually grew up in Williamsburg, and I have to confess that it was pretty awesome! My favorite walk in the world is still a stroll down Duke of Gloucester (DOG Street to us locals), peeking into the gardens as I go. Glad you had fun in my hometown!