Take a Virtual Tour of Charleston's Historic Gardens
After recently spending a few (blissful!) days in Charleston’s historic peninsula touring private homes and gardens, I can attest that gardening is a full-contact sport in the Holy City. From manicured formal gardens to rambling flower-lined paths, Charlestonians definitely know how to rock their green thumbs.
In addition to full gardens, flower-filled windowboxes were everywhere:
Formal gardens boast mounds of color and charming weather-worn statuary:
Charleston’s sub-tropical climate provides ideal conditions for South Carolina’s state tree, the Palmetto Palm, and camellias whose ruffly flowers are synonymous with the South:
Flowers also drape fences surrounding the city’s historic homes in color. Here a red trumpet vine overtakes an ancient cast-iron fence:
Creeping fig turns this home’s facade into a vertical garden. Not advisable for use on a wood exterior, these hardy vines do little damage when allowed to grow on brick or stone:
In Charleston, even small garden corners aren’t overlooked. Here, a homowner has trained a magnolia to espalier (or grow in a flat, compact shape) against a stuccoed wall:
Even in early spring, Charleston’s warm climate ensures a wide variety of blooms. In this informal garden, vibrant poppies spill over a pea-gravel path:
The Historic Charleston Foundation hosts private home and garden tours each spring. If you’re a history and design buff like me, they’re a can’t-miss.
Tour Charleston's Historic Homes
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