North Terrace Garden

A central fountain of glazed tiles representing magnolia leaves welcomes you into this elegant courtyard, leading to the greater Garden. Sounds of splashing water and pleasant fragrances begin the transition from Visitors Center to garden environment.

George Bragdon Memorial Daffodil Garden

Funded in part by Patty Bragdon and the Richmond Chapter of the American Daffodil Society, the George Bragdon Memorial Daffodil Garden celebrates the ephemeral elegance of daffodils. In the spring, many new varieties as well as old favorites fill the four quadrants. This garden also achieves four-season interest through colorful, summer blooming perennials, attractive fall foliage, and interesting woody plants that provide winter interest.

Four Seasons Garden

This walled garden is a classical early twentieth-century Arts and Crafts design, focusing on the use of indigenous building materials. The cobbled walk slows your pace so that you may enjoy the whimsy of the frog fountain. Here you will find a focus on bloom and color throughout the year and plants which have attractive form and character, even in dormancy.

Healing Garden

The Healing Garden reflects two of mankind’s fundamental uses of plants – for medicine and healing. To the West you will find a small garden whose size and symmetry recall medieval cloister gardens. It is designed as a place for spiritual healing through contemplation, meditation and reflection. To the East, the elliptical beds, accentuated with an oversized granite mortar and pestle, reflect the medicinal significance of plants. This garden style is inspired from the 1545 Renaissance Garden in Padua, Italy. The Healing Garden is a gift from the Virginia Federation of Garden Clubs, Inc.

Sunken Garden

As you step down into the Sunken Garden, you return to second-century Rome, where ancient urban gardens were designed for cool temperatures, the flow of water, and a sense of privacy. Visitors are surrounded by a dry-laid stone wall as a backdrop for an intimate garden experience. The “dancing waters” in the fountain delight the senses with the magnificent sparkling Conservatory rising in the background.

The Sunken Garden is flanked by two triangle-shaped beds that are planted with seasonal crops and changed out twice a year. In the spring, the beds are filled with bulbs and violas, and in the summer, there is a colorful mixture of tropical plants and annuals.

Arbor Walkway

The weeping cherry trees provide a splash of color in the spring at the ends of the Arbor, and the interior is newly renovated with European hornbeam (Carpinus betulus ‘Frans Fontaine’).

Main Garden Walk

A stroll down Main Garden Walk is a delightful way to view seasonal color. New cultivars of annuals and tropical plants are used in creative patterns.