Spring? As if.
Just a reminder, Richmond has two seasons, Winspring and Sumall. Enjoy this so-called “Spring” thing while you can. Here are a few suggestions.
Visit the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens while the blooms are fresh and before things heat up. They open early (9:00), so if you can go on a weekday, bring a coffee and enjoy having the place almost to yourself. The garden is 50 acres of themed gardens, woodland paths, and a conservatory.
If you’re looking for plants, they have their Spring Plant Sale April 30th-May 1st. It’s one of the largest in the region, with over 45 vendors and garden experts available to answer questions. It’s a great place to buy unusual plants and talk to vendors. Admission to the sale is free, there is a charge to enter the gardens.
Another great location to visit this time of year is Maymont. Admission is free, and the Japanese and Italian gardens are at their best in Spring. Maymont is an impressive 100 acre park in the middle of Richmond where you can stroll the grounds, or visit the immersive nature center, interactive farm, and rescued animal habitats. Great fun for the young or young at heart.
Maymont has their plant sale, Herbs Galore, on Saturday April 25th from 8:00-3:00. Located on the Carriage House Lawn (near the mansion), it’s an opportunity to stock up on a wide selection of annuals, perennials, trees, and vegetables. There are demonstrations, talks, activities for young sprouts, and the audio tours of the Italian garden are free for the event. Bring a wagon or garden cart for your green goodies, there’s a holding area where you can leave your purchases and explore. Admission to the park is always free, the sale has a $10 entry fee.
If you are a fellow iris freak, the Central Virginia Iris Society has their show and sale on Sunday May 4th. The sale is from 10:00-4:00, the show 12:00-4:00. Located in the Robins Visitor Center Atrium at Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens, admission is free. While you’re there, keep an eye out for Algerian or Winter Iris, which produces fragrant, lavender-to-purple flowers from November to March. They thrive in full sun and poor soil, and bloom when the rest of the garden is dormant. If you’ve stayed away from irises because you lack sun, look for Iris cristata (dwarf crested iris), Iris japonica (fringed iris), and Pacific Coast hybrids, which are ideal for woodland gardens and dry, shaded spots under trees.
From April 18th-25th there are garden tours in Richmond and across Virginia celebrating Historic Garden Week. Check out private landscapes, public gardens and historic properties. A list of properties and ticket information can be found on the Garden Club of Virginia's website.
Garden Adjacent activities include Arts in the Park at Byrd Park May 2nd-3rd, one of Richmond’s largest outdoor art festivals. And one of the nicest public green spaces in the city is the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts sculpture garden. Swing into the Best Cafe for a coffee or a glass of wine, and sit under the trees enjoying the sights and sounds of Spring.
Enjoy!
