Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-29
SOUTH FROM WASHINGTON.

SOUTH FROM WASHINGTON.
TN all America there are no garden:
and old houses more beautiful anc
none richer in historic lore thar
IA those of Virginia, and for six days
from April 28 through May 3, these
gardens and many of the old houses
Wtll be opened to the public through
The efforts of the Garden Clubs Of Vir-
ginia, In order to raise funds for the
restoration of the garden at Stratford
the home Of the Lees, near FrederickS-
burg, and where Gen. Robert E. Lee
was born. The restoration of the house
ut Stratford has been undertaken by
the Stratford Memorial Association
therefore 1t was only natural that the
Garden Clubs of Virginia, composed
largely of those who inherited the ap.
probation of the beauty in q garden
and It's part in the Colonial home
should undertake the restoration Of the
garden at Stratford. On my last visit
there the only visable remnants of the
garden which used to be" were the
fragrant white jeSsamine, a moss rose.
bush, some hardy coleuS and severa
large fig bushes.
Virginia today possesses more his.
tcrical Colonial gardens than any othel
state, the Oldest having been planned
and planted before the corner stone Of
America was primarily laid on its soil
The earliest settlers in Virginia were
English people, and they brought with
them treasured memories of the gar
denS of Norfolk, England. From these
old gardens seeds as well as plants were
brought across the sea to bloom on ir
their New World. The houses and gar
dens Of these English gentlemen mir
Tored their heritage Of England and
added much to the early Virginia social
life, passing on to each succeeding gen.
Grafton the beauty and love Of flowers
and dignity Of English country life.
Importance Of Gardens.
It was perfectly natural that these
gardens should become great outdoor
drawing room for the mansion, and IL
was here In the succeeding sunlight anc
moonlight that Colonial life found it,
most intimate expression. It was in the
gardens of virginia that the leader.
consulted, that the new Nation wa;
born, and that the great visions for the
future generations were seen, and
finally, Is Life ebbed and those who hac
made history answered the inevitable
summons, 1t was amid those scenes thai
they loved that they were laid to rest
Therefore, 1t will be recognized thai
these Virginia gardens are in reality
aS definite an expression Of the people
who developed them IS the manor
houses themselves.
It Is, indeed, fortunate that so many
Of these gardens have come down to us
passed on from generation to genera.
ton, with the recurrent loving care, at.
tention and pride in ownership tina
have SO often been noted In the pos.
session Of the Colonial homes, for thu
gardens are as much part of the home
as the house itself.
The writer has been fortunate In
having visited most Of these homes
and gardens from time to time, and she
knows what q wonderful opportunity
this offers to see the treasures of Co
lOnial Virginia, which have been pre-
served in the private homes and gar
denS Of the successors Of those who
tional life. Today these houses and
gardens of historical interest and
beauty are almost around the corner
To outline q trip and to tempt the
interest, 60 back to my memory book
and wonder what to offer you first
Through interest in our nationa
ehrines are these courtesieS extended
and II we love our country, its heroe:
and heroines, then we must know anc
preserve the background from which
they sprang.
Leaving Washington by way Of the
Richmond Washington highway, we
first come to Alexandria. Alexandra
was Incorporated in 1748, and prior tt
the Revolution was decidedly royalist
This Is seen in the older part of the
town, not only by the style of archi.
lecture, which is distinctly English, but
by the names of the streets, such a: