Agecroft Hall (Richmond, VA). 15th century English manor house moved to Richmond in 1925. Gardens designed by Charles Gillette, including an Elizabethan knot garden. Closed Mondays. Virginia House (see below) is nearby.

Anne Spencer House and Garden (Lynchburg, VA).  Home and studio of Harlem Renaissance poet and avid gardener. Garden restored in the 1980s. Featured in PBS series GardenStory, segment "The Garden as Muse," in 2005. House and studio open by appointment ($5); garden free, Mon-Sat, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. 1313 Pierce Street; 434/845-1313. Call ahead to confirm. Group garden tours available.

Belmont Estate (Fredericksburg, VA). Georgian style frame house built in 1790s on the banks of the Rappahannock. Served as home and studio of artist Gari Melchers in the early 20th century. Grounds and gardens restored by Garden Club of Virginia in the 1990s. Boxwood gardens; orchard; vegetable garden; 28 varieties of roses; wildlife habitat; restored farm outbuildings.  Maintained by Master Gardeners of the Rappahannock Region. Workshops, tours, lectures.

Blandy Experimental Farm (including state arboretum) (Boyce, VA) is open dawn to dusk, 365 days a year; no admission fee. University of Virginia research facility; 700 acres. For a calendar of events, click on website. Spring and fall festivals.

Brookside Gardens (Wheaton, MD) maintains an online calendar of events for its grounds and conservatory.

Boxerwood Gardens (Lexington, VA), a 31-acre arboretum and nature center outside of Lexington (963 Ross Road), is open from mid-March to November for self-guided tours. During the winter, call for an appointment (540/463-2697) Guided tours available year-round. Mature woodland includes both native and exotic species of trees and shrubs. The property is the legacy of Robert S. Munger (1911-1988). Offers workshops and environmental education programs occasionally, too. $5 suggested contribution.

Brent and Becky's Bulbs (Gloucester, VA). Tours and lectures at the Heaths' 10-acre farm, the headquarters of one of the nation's best-known mail-order bulb suppliers. Calendar on website. .

Buffalo Springs Herb Farm (Raphine, VA). Shenandoah Valley farm popular for workshops and special events, many of which highlight growing and using herbs. NOW CLOSED unless a new owner is found.

Chanticleer: A Pleasure Garden (Wayne, PA). Located on Philadelphia's Main Line. Beautiful old estate with well-developed gardens punctuated by creative sculpture and whimsical hand-made furniture. Open April through October. Easy to combine with a visit to Scott Arboretum at Swarthmore College (Swarthmore, PA)--see below.

Edible Landscaping (Afton, VA).

Edith J. Carrier Arboretum (James Madison University; Harrisonburg, VA). Plant sales; tours; classes; field trips; Brown Bag lunch series at the Pavilion during summer months. Calendar available on the arboretum’s website or call 540/568-3194. 

Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia (Staunton, VA). Open-air museum showcasing farm and frontier life in the Shenandoah Valley. Events year-round. Garden Days in early summer.

Hahn Horticulture Garden (Blacksburg, VA).  Seven-acre garden on Virginia Tech campus, including sub-gardens devoted to xeriscaping, dwarf conifers, water and other themes. Meadow garden in the works. Photo tour and guide on-line.

Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center (HRAREC) (Virginia Beach, VA) sponsors “All America Trial Gardens,” “America’s Anniversary Garden”, and other activities and courses throughout the year. 

JC Raulston Arboretum at NC State University (Raleigh, NC). Eight-acre arboretum founded in 1976 and run by the Department of Horticultural Science at NC State. More than 5,000 species or cultivars on display. Free and open to the public 365 days a year. Tours, workshops, seminars, travel.

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden (Richmond, VA) contains 40 acres of gardens in the heart of Richmond, and includes a classically-styled conservatory.  Complete schedule of events is available on-line, including classes in botanical illustration, beekeeping, spring pruning of shrubs, garden design basics, containers, birding, flower arranging and more. Spring and fall plant sales.

Longwood Gardens (Kennett Square, PA) offers tours and special events year-round. For a full calendar of events and classes, click here.  

Master Gardener College 2008. Was held June 17- 22, 2008. Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia. Land Care Steward training was available this year. Check back in the spring 2009 for details about next year's MG College!

Maymont (Richmond, VA) includes a 33-room mansion, nature and visitors center, gardens, arboretum and more than 100 acres to stroll in Richmond’s downtown. 

Montpelier (Montpelier Station, VA). Home of President James Madison. A National Trust for Historic Preservation property. Official reopening after extensive renovations, mid-September 2008. Gardens and old-growth forest. Free guided "Big Woods Walks" each season.

National Museum of Natural History (Smithsonian, Washington, D.C.) showcases horticulture in occasional exhibits. Check website to find current offerings.

New York Botanical Garden (NY). The NYBG is home to the recently-refurbished Enid A. Haupt glasshouse and more than two dozen other theme gardens.

Norfolk Botanical Garden (Hampton Roads, VA). For a full online calendar of events, click here.

Pharsalia (Tyro, VA). Historic Nelson County estate (1814) with views of de Priest Mountain. Occasional gardening workshops. Check website for Calendar of Events or sign up for newsletter.

Philadelphia Flower Show. The 2008 theme was "Jazz It Up!" March 2-9, 2008. Held annually at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia. Details for 2009 will be listed when available. 

Pine Knot Farms (Clarksville, VA)  Annual Hellebores Festival in late winter. Only "Open Days" for the public at this renowned breeder. Pleasant long day trip from Charlottesville area. Info: judith@pineknotfarms.com or 540/252-1990. See website, too, for details.  

Point of Honor (Lynchburg, VA). 112 Cabell Street. Federal Period house and gardens. Grounds restored by the Garden Club of Virginia with aid of Meade Palmer, landscape architect. See History on website for details of restoration. Daily tours.

River Farm (American Horticultural Society) (Alexandria, VA). Visit the River Farm website for details about upcoming events.

Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College (Swarthmore, PA) sponsors occasional workshops and conferences. 

U.S. Botanic Garden (Washington, D.C.). See website for ongoing calendar of free events at the country’s oldest public botanic garden. Permanent exhibits include: “Six Plants We Can’t Live Without” and “How Plants Work: A Guide to Being Green.”

U.S. National Arboretum (Washington, D.C.) offers workshops and exhibits throughout the year. 

Viette Farm and Nursery (Fishersville, VA).  Nationally-known nursery run by Andre Viette offers free and fee workshops from May till autumn.  See website for calender of lectures, tours and clinics.

Virginia House (Richmond, VA). Home of the Virginia Historical Society. Eight acres of formal and naturalistic gardens designed in the 1920s by the legendary Southern landscape architect, Charles Gillette. Twelfth-century priory (now part of the main house) was dismantled and shipped from England in the mid-1920s; reassembled on site. Gardens and grounds open 10-4 daily, M-Sat; 12:30-5 on Sundays; closed major holidays.

Virginia Master Gardeners Association maintains a statewide calendar of events sponsored by and for Master Gardeners.  See Master Gardener College 2008 entry, above.

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (Richmond, VA). 

Virginia State Fair, Richmond (VA) was September 25 to October 5, 2008. Check website for details about next year's fair!