Nice Rear
This weekend we went garden crashing. And it was totally legal. We jumped at the chance to tour a bunch of lovely backyard gardens thanks to Richmond’s annual West Avenue Garden Tour in the historic Fan district and we can’t wait to share the glorious eye candy. The Fan is a gorgeous downtown neighborhood (think brownstones with killer architecture and quaint little back gardens in the middle of the city) where many swanky people tend their swanky gardens.
And once a year they throw open their back gates and let total strangers like us poke around in their petunias! Here’s what we were loving this year.
This amazing yard had a gorgeous hand-carved arch that stood in the back of the space with breezy outdoor curtains, a babbling water feature, and even an outdoor couch for relaxing alfresco. Doesn’t it look like an exotic island paradise?
And just a few houses down this back garden boasted a gorgeous koi pond. Gotta love how they made such excellent use of a small, narrow space (that otherwise couldn’t be accessed).
This backyard had a built-in fireplace. Uh. Mazing. And we love the cheerful yellow and tangerine accent colors that were applied so liberally to liven things up:
Meanwhile, this garden reminded us that even with a smaller budget and a narrow area, four Adirondack chairs can come together to create a totally inviting outdoor room:
This rear view totally amazed us because they were in the process of training ivy to grow in a sophisticated x-pattern. Can you imagine the effort it took to create that perfectly balanced grid of wire? The ivy really seemed to be taking to the idea, though. We can’t wait to check on its progress next year…
This garden made us smile instantly thanks to the cheerful turquoise paint that was liberally applied around the perimeter. Talk about embracing a small space and making the most of the border.
This lovely archway was just dripping with feathery foliage. Imagine walking through that every day! I felt like Alice in Wonderland slipping through some magical door. So pretty. Note: nope, that’s not me in the doorway below, it’s just some other neighbor who’s happy to be traipsing through such lovely backyards. And look how cute and “Richmond” she is with her sun hat and Sunday dress.
Last but not least, this yard was less about weeding and watering and more about monkeying around. I actually took a cute picture of some sweet little girls playing on these hanging chairs, but this one of John just cracks me up. He was loving it more than the eight year olds.
So that concludes our little annual garden tour. We really loved how a shot of bright color instantly cheered things up and everyones instinct to go vertical in such a modest space really inspired us (with vines, hanging swings, arches, or trellises). All in all, another great garden tour. Just 362 days til the next one.
Jonesing for more mouthwatering back garden eye candy? Check out our pictures from last year’s West Avenue Garden tour right here.
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Thanks for the inspiration! Lovely photos.
And that post title – cracked me up!! haha!
These are super-nice examples of how to get the most out of a small space. And oh, my gosh, that x-pattern ivy? Ingenious!
I love all the options for outdoor furniture with big comfy cushions like in picture #1. But am scared as to how they will hold up to the unpredictable weather in the Northeast. Does anyone have this type of furniture and how do you care for everything? Do you have to store everything when you aren’t using it?
Wow, that brings back memories. My first apartment was in a basement in The Fan (back when the area was still a little rough.) I had waterbugs, mice and a bad sewer smell every time it rained. But I could escape to the garden, which I did, replanting and weeding the neglected flowerbeds.
Thanks for sharing these amazing gardens.
Where is West Avenue? I live in Indiana, but my sister lives in Richmond on W. Grace Street. Beautiful homes & a great area. They have done lots of work on their beautiful home!! I am wondering what their backyard looks like right now….
Hey Heidi,
West Avenue is a small street in The Fan, and it’s actually quite close to part of W. Grace Street (W. Grace is super long so your sister might be really close to West Ave or a bit further away depending where she lives on Grace). It’s such a sweet little neighborhood. Hope it helps!
xo,
Sherry
White adirondack chairs looks amazing just about anywhere….love it.
Also, I’m very jealous of that outdoor fireplace. My parents just had one built and they’re amazing! Ah well, perhaps when the economy comes back. :)
Wow. They are amazing!
I especially love the pond, outdoor fireplace, and swinging chairs. That district looks really charming! I don’t know much about Richmond, but I didn’t expect it to look like that!
Sigh. I wish there were a Fan district in my town. In this city, the only “historical” houses we have are mobile homes. I know that probably comes across as snotty, and I don’t mean it to be–it’s just the truth. Almost everything is new construction.
Great garden inspiration!
Boy, Richmond looks like a beautiful city! At the moment, I have lake front property in my backyard, due to the large amounts of rain we’ve had and the ground not being able to dry up. I hate muddy dog paws!
Lovely!
I love the one with the adirondack chairs. It is so simple but really cozy and sweet looking.
i so love the ivy crawling up in the x-pattern. i’m going to have to try my hand at that. thanks for sharing!
Didn’t realize y’all are only 2 hours from us! What GORGEOUS yards!!
Ahh, the joys of living in The Fan! I live on Grove Ave. and when I was a student I would always cut through and walk down West Avenue on the really nice mornings when everyone was sitting on their porches enjoying the weather and scenery. It’s a shame my allergies got the best of me this year because I would have loved to have gone this year. Either way, great pictures- it’s like I was there!
Hey there,
I am a first-time commenter/long time reader of your fantastic blog! I lived in Richmond for quite a few years and lived on Monument Ave, Grove Ave, and W Cary St and i miss it down there every day! Luckily i only live a few hours away (i’m up in DC). The pics you posted made me all sentimental so i felt the need to agree with the other posters and say that the city is indeed BEAUTIFUL! And i’m constantly jealous of those who get to enjoy its character.
Have a great day!
Erin
PS: Diversity Thrift is awesome! I haven’t been there since it was a hole-in-the-wall on Cary (at least i think it was on Cary…it’s been a few years!)
What I wouldn’t give to have some of those beautiful backyards!! Which reminds me, I need to start working on the front yard!
Thanks for sharing! :)
Love the pond and the ivy! We have a pond, but raccoons ate all our fish :( Haven’t figured out an attractive solution for that yet.
And I thought I was a smartie for finally filling in my new planter that goes next to my front door. Sigh.
Those pictures are so pretty. I love outdoor spaces. When we built our house we have a covered front porch, a screened in side porch, another open side portch then a breezeway between our house and garage. I have them so full with flowers I’ve been put on flower restriction. In our breezway we do have chairs with a little fireplace and we stay outside more than we stay inside. Thanks for the great pictures!
It’s nice to be reminded that there is stuff like this in The Fan. It’s such a contradictory neighborhood.
I love the pictures. You did a great job capturing the loveliness of these gorgeous gardens!
Thanks for the great inspriration! I can’t tell you how much I love this site and all the great projects that you guys do! Plus with the fact that you get them done on a budget is the icing on the cake! I just completed my screened porch makeover, and being on a budget, I found lots of great items on Craig’s List!
http://lknbrowns.blogspot.com/2009/04/porch-paradise.html
Gor-geee-ous photos. I have a wire trellis like that training pink bower vines up a wall in my rear yard, and it is so lovely. Great post !
Don’t you just love poking around in other peoples spaces…so much fun. What creative neighbors you have. Loved the tour.
Lisa
Wonderful photos. I could certainly see myself relaxing in one of those four Adirondack chairs.
I am LOVING that lattice ivy.
Thanks for sharing the gardens of Richmond. The Chicago Tribune this past weekend had a list of all of the house and garden walks and there are so many to choose from and so little time. I just love seeing others creativity.
My a cappella group from college (University of Richmond’s Off the Cuff) sang at that garden tour about 5 years ago!! So much fun. :)
It was so nice to see that you enjoyed it! Mine is the garden with the arches and fountain that you pictured. The intent was to take myself to another place in the world, be it Morocco, the tropics, or at night, with lighting and candles, South Beach. (Think the Shore Club or any number of other swank, sultry hotels down there.) Now that economics keep me in Richmond more than I care to be, it is a daily pleasure to escape to my garden. I have even been known to sleep on that couch at night, mosquitoes be damned! The arches hail from India and are admittedly my most favorite possession, if one can politely confess to having one. If my children and I are not enjoying our own garden, we are running around next door to Warren and Lucy’s garden — they have an “open back gate” policy — to feed and watch their goldfish.
Hey Jennifer,
What a GORGEOUS garden you have. It was nothing short of magical and I can’t even imagine sleeping on that couch. Heaven!
xoxo,
Sherry
I love the swinging chairs. I am pretty sure I could spend hours in them. Thanks for sharing.
I love the black trellises with the circle design in the third picture from the bottom. Has anyone seen these anywhere??
Thanks for sharing!
hi… did you happen to ever go back and check on the ivy?? I’d love to see how that’s doing now!! x
We’d love to go back and check on it sometime!
xo,
s