Isle of Wight Historic Garden Week Tour – Historic Homes

Several years ago, when I was new to Virginia I learned about the state-wide Historic Garden Week. I love gorgeous gardens, as well as lovely historic homes. Plus I thought I could learn a thing or two about the Commonwealth, history, and gardening by checking out a few of the tours. Over the years I’ve had a chance to travel the state for Historic Garden Week and have loved every minute of these adventures.

Did you know that Virginia Historic Garden Week began way back in 1927! Wow! How many fund-raisers do you know of that have been around nearly a century? I’d say that’s quite a legacy. Add to that the fact that all tour proceeds fund the restoration and preservation of many of Virginia’s historic public gardens and landscapes, a research fellowship program, and a new partnership with Virginia State Parks.

I wanted to see one of the first tours of the week to get a taste of what could be ahead so I’d know how to plan. I live in Hampton Roads, so I chose the Isle of Wight Tour on Saturday. It’s an area that I hadn’t visited yet, which was an added bonus. Rain was threatening, but I decided to take a chance anyway since I knew that at least some of the tour would be inside.

Tip – Buy Tickets in Advance

I neglected to buy my ticket in advance online, so I stopped at Tour Headquarters located in front of Boykin’s Tavern. Note: If you wait until the day of the tour you’ll pay a higher ticket price. Usually $5 more than the online price. Not a huge deal, but just wanted you to be aware.

Now, remember, I was a “historic garden tour” virgin, so I was expecting tours of historic gardens. Silly me. The Isle of Wight tour didn’t include any grand gardens per se, although I learned later that many regions include spectacular gardens in their tours as well. Each region and year is different. Mainly historical homes with lovely floral arrangements sprinkled both inside and out. Creative and talented gardeners from the sponsoring garden clubs nearby contributed the floral arrangements. Several members of the garden clubs volunteered at each location to help with logistics too. In most cases, there was a host(ess) in each room of the house and outside to answer questions or share about items of interest.

Don’t get me wrong, I was a little puzzled by this, but not really too disappointed since I was able to see 7 unique properties, dozens of gorgeous arrangements, and even learn a few things that I wasn’t expecting.

No Photography Inside the Historic Homes

I learned that no photography is allowed inside the homes. Of course, this makes perfect sense since this is someone’s private space and there could be valuable items that they don’t want to be published for the whole world to see. It does, however, make it a little more difficult for a post like this one.

I had so much fun that I could go on and on about each site, but to keep things simple, here are the locations in the order that I visited, with a tidbit about each one. When you’re finished with the list, click on the last photo to get to the photo album and more details.

Isle of Wight Historic Homes & Tour Stops

Boykins Tavern in Isle of Wight – (circa 1790) – Local historian Albert P. Burckard portrayed Major Francis Boykin and greeted guests, answered questions, and shared historical insights about the tavern.

Davis Day House in Smithfield (c. 1850) – The original home was built in 1809. Two additional wings were recently added that are a gorgeous complement to the original structure. In addition to a gorgeous home and expansive grounds, the owners of this property raise prize-winning Gypsy Vanner horses. I had the chance to see these magnificent steeds courtesy of Mokete’s Village, their family business.

Six Oaks – historic home – also in Smithfield (c. 1750) – this quaint Tidewater cottage included a staircase painted to look like book spines. There was also a small flower garden on-site with a helpful volunteer to answer questions.

Saint Luke’s Church in Smithfield (c. 1632) – Gorgeous stained glass and a knowledgeable tour guide, Collin made this stop so memorable. They also have a variety of opportunities for volunteering if you’re so inclined.

Oak Level/Young House in Smithfield – (work on this historic home began in 1768) – The Young family has lived here for generations. They’re credited with hiding all the county records for safe-keeping during both the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. Because of this, Isle of Wight records are some of the oldest in the nation, dating back to the 1600s. These documents provide valuable information to historians, genealogists, and more.

Darden Homestead in Windsor – (1850) – Homeowner William (Billy) Bell was kind enough to share his process for smoking ham. He allowed guests to take in the wonderful sights and scents of his smokehouse.

Colonel Thomas Darden Home, also in Windsor (built in 1834) – What a treat to have one of the family members onsite to answer questions. Hannah Wise shared personal stories from her experiences at this historic home as a child. She also confirmed that she painted the lovely expansive murals on the walls of the entry hall.

Find Out More About Historic Garden Week

As I mentioned, each year and region is unique with the chance to tour different properties. You can find out more about the historic homes, gardens, and other locations for this year and how to get tickets by visiting their website here.

Thanks for joining me for a lovely day. By the way, the rain only fell when I was inside a restaurant taking a lunch break, so that worked out well. You may also enjoy these other posts about the dozens of historic homes and gardens open for Virginia’s Historic Garden Week here.

Have you ever done a Historic Home or Garden Tour in Virginia? If so, I’d love to hear about your favorites so I can try to catch them in the future.