Friday, September 12, 2008

Local Color: Through the Garden Gate Tour

Fleurjolie, April 2007

One of my favorite gardens of Charlottesville is going to be open to the public tomorrow. I visited Ted Peters' gardens, Fleurjolie, last spring and it single-handedly renewed my interest in azaleas. I can only imagine what it will do for my lackluster understanding of dahlias.

Go. Visit. Rest at little spots like the one above to take in the landscape. Talk with Mr. Peters. He is awesome and his love of gardening is contagious.

Plus - gate prizes! Tending to a descendant from the Fleurjolie gardens would be such an honor.

Maybe I'll see you there . . .

*********
September 13, 2008
Garden is open from 9:00 am to noon.

Ted Peters
108 Warren Lane
Charlottesville, Virginia

Fleurjolie is a lovely garden started by Gladys Peters in 1964. She was inspired by the Warren Cloud’s azalea and rhododendron garden next door. For 35 years, she designed, improved and maintained this garden. Gladys’ son, Ted Peters, assisted his mother with some aspects of the garden and now maintains it himself full time.

Fleurjolie is on an acre of land which includes azaleas, rhododendrons, conifers, crepe myrtle, boxwoods, and many other shrubs. Ted also has a number of perennials and several dahlia beds. There are a stream, pond, and waterfall in years with sufficient rain. Paths run through these gardens with many areas landscaped with some uncommon plants.

If the deer allow, there should be some colorful dahlia beds in full bloom. Each visitor will get to vote for his or her favorite dahlia bloom. Each visitor will also be offered a hardy potted begonia, Evansiana, from the Fleurjolie gardens; it does well in almost any place in the garden, including shade. There will be additional plants given away as “gate prizes.”

Cost: $5 per person

Directions:Off the 250 bypass take Meadowbrook Heights Road. Go north through the stop sign at Grove Road. Turn right after 1/10th of a mile at Warren Lane – just before the white picket fence. 108 Warren Lane, a white cape cod, is the second house on the right. Park on Warren Lane or Meadowbrook Heights Road.

Sponsored by Piedmont Master Gardeners

2 comments:

Patience_Crabstick said...

That's so interesting. I doubt my school burdens will give me time to check it out, but there's always next year.

Unknown said...

I wish I could take my mom, she would love all the gardens you share with us.