Monday, May 30, 2016

A Williamsburg Inspired Garden

Hello everyone!

I hope that you're having a nice Memorial Day.  The weather here has been nice (except for a rain shower that came by last night). 

 My husband and I went to a going away party for one of his best friends.  He is leaving for Alaska this week and won't be back for several months.  He recently retired from the fire dept and is now taking advantage of a unique work opportunity in Alaska.  So, his parents threw him a going away party at their house yesterday. 

They live in a beautiful area in a town just outside of where we live.  I was captivated by the road they live off of because it was gated with many private large lots with homes situated on them.  It was like driving through a forest on a gravel road.  You couldn't see any of the homes from the road. 

When we drove up to his parents house, I thought it was a charming country style house.






I quickly noticed that they had a nice outdoor area when we walked up. 


The party was held on their spacious screened porch.  But, before we went inside, I was captivated by their amazing gardens out beside the house.  It was serene, extremely private, and meticulously manicured.  I quickly fell in love with it.  I took some pictures to share with you today.  


My husbands friend told us that their parents loved visiting Williamsburg, VA so this garden was created to mimic that style.  That style means that it is symetrical.  What you see on one side, you will see on the other side as well.

Let's take a tour!





















I took these with my cell phone so they're not the best, but you can get the idea of how beautiful their property is.  They built this house many, many years ago.  So, everything has had a lot of time to mature.  You don't get something this beautiful overnight! They have a circular drive in front of their house and then a driveway and garage behind their house (which I love). The back of their house  overlooks a majestic forest of mature trees and thick woods.  It doesn't get any more private than this!  It truly felt like a vacation getaway to visit them.  

I hope that you enjoyed this little garden tour.  I certainly did.

On another note, I have been dealing with a terrible flare-up from my auto-immune disease.  Somehow, I managed to have a decent day yesterday to allow me to go to the party.  But it is touch and go these days.  I have not been able to go to the gym for several days and recently started some supplements to see if that might help me.  I believe (after reading many forums about my disease) that Remicade is in my near future.  I don't really have a choice now.  I've been struggling all year with stomach issues but now I have a million other symptoms that just won't go away!  I'm not as fearful of this new journey now that I've read some forums of people suffering with what I have and hearing that it has really helped them. My doctor recommended it back in January but I chickened out.  My family and friends can't relate because they don't have this same disease.  Talking to others that have it, make me feel somewhat normal!  I'm not alone and there IS hope for a better quality of life if I try the next type of medicine.  So, if I'm not around as much in the near future, you'll know why.  
Thanks for stopping by!

~ Kelly ~

20 comments:

Babs said...

Kelly, I really enjoyed seeing your friend's parents' garden. Colonial Williamsburg is one of my favorite places, too. So sorry to hear about your auto-immune flare-ups. Sending hugs and prayers your way. xo

Little Farmstead said...

What a beautiful home and property! Sorry you haven't been feeling well. I'm glad you are able to connect with people who are walking that same path and maybe have some helpful ideas. Xo, ~julie

Kim @ Savvy Southern Style said...

Beautiful gardens. Wow, that takes time and a lot of work, but how pretty. So sorry you are having trouble again!

Christine at Little Brags said...

Super gorgeous garden Kelly, but ohhh the work that must be!!!!! I could not keep up with that!!! Happy Memorial Day chica!

Deserae said...

What a beautiful garden!!!! I wish mine looked like that but the reality is I don't have the time or energy to devote to something that requires so much care. I'm sorry you are having another flare up....that sucks!!! I hope you feel better soon!
~Des

Joy Junktion said...

Beautiful gardens you have shared here, Kelly! What a lovely setting for a party! I do hope you are able to get you A-ID in check. I have a couple of friends who struggle with different types and are at various stages of their diseases'. I know it is really a struggle. You have my prayers! Blessings, Cindy xo

Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces said...

So sorry to hear about your flare, Kelly. I hope you are able to slow down and rest as much as you need to, and the flare will lessen soon. This spring was awful for me, too, but cutting back has helped me feel better.
The gardens you shared are so wonderful...I would love being out there! xo

cynthia lee designs said...

What beautiful gardens you shared with us. So sorry that you are having flare ups. Sending up prayers.
~Cindy

Unknown said...


very good. step by step pictures..looks so good and beautiful and great photography. thankyou for shearing.

House Decoration

Bliss said...

The gardens and outdoor space are beautiful, very nice for entertaining too. If you need something so you can enjoy gardens and entertaining on a daily basis and alleviate your symptoms that make you miserable, then you do what you need to do to feel good.

Linda said...

Oh how amazing! Those gardens are so gorgeous. A lot of time and hard work goes into
something that beautiful.
Sorry to hear about your flare up. I empathise with you. Take care

Unknown said...

I'm so sorry you're not feeling well Kelly. I know how hard it can be not to be able to do what you love for long periods of time. I hope you feel betteršŸ˜˜
Your friend's gardens are so beautiful, I love the brick pathways. Williamsburg is quite close to us. It's a charming historical area that I enjoy visiting. The old colonial homes are so distinct and full of history. Xo

Liz@ HomeandGardeningWithLiz said...

I enjoyed seeing their gardens- my kind of stuff! Sorry you are having flare ups. I haven't followed you that closely to know but do you eat gluten free? Just curious if that could help improve the situation. My sister had a bunch of trouble a while back that they could never quite pin down but she ended up on a prescription that made a big difference.

Doreen@foxdenrd said...

I'm in love with this garden and the house too! I'm guessing the couple who live there are elderly? Just wondering since you said their son retired. Anyway, it's a lot of work to keep up with something that spacious and beautiful. Good for them!

I'm so very sorry you haven't been feeling well. Nothing is more important than our health, so I hope this next path will bring you some much needed relief.

xxx

Lisa @ Texas Decor said...

I'm sorry to hear you've had another flare up. I'm sure that's frustrating to say the least. Maybe the new meds will help. It always helps to talk with others that are experiencing the same thing, so that's good you've been able to do that. Now, those gardens are amazing! I love how private they are. We don't usually get that here in the suburbs and I miss it sometimes. I could look at pics of manicured lawns all day long. So pretty and inspiring!

Debra said...

The gardens are so beautiful. It must have seemed like you were on vacation. I hope you feel better, take care.

Shirley@Housepitality Designs said...

Beautiful gardens!!!....I hope this new treatment works for you Kelly....get better soon!

Amy at Ms. Toody Goo Shoes said...

Hi Kelly, I always admire people who know what they're doing with gardening. Thanks for sharing this beautiful one with us! So sorry to hear you are having a rough time with your auto-immune disease. A very good friend of mine is suffering from something that may be similar - she had lots of stomach issues and painful, red joints. Believe it or not, she found relief from some herbal remedies prescribed by a doctor. I hope that your new treatment will give you great relief!

Blondie's Journal said...

This home is simply lovely. I would so love to live in privacy like this. It is situated in and amongst nature---my dream!

I feel so bad for you, Kelly. The meds I've been taking for my auto immune issues still cause me a great deal of side effects and I'm only looking and feeling about half better. The biggest thing lately is fatigue. Sometimes just carrying a full laundry basket upstairs makes me want to crumple. Other days I can plant flowers and work in my garden for hours. Can't explain. I wish you the best.

Jane

Rustic Maple Elizabeth said...

The property is lovely and I can imagine more of the flowers in bloom too. Sorry to hear about the flare up of your illness and I hope you can find some relief soon.