Some homeowners participating in spring garden tours are used to having people stroll by or pop into in their gardens and outdoor spaces on morning or evening walks.
“Some will stop a minute and have a glass of wine,” said Kathi Russell, whose home is on the 2015 Madison in May Spring Tour of Homes and Gardens on April 30-May 2. “It is just a wonderful way to interact with people.”
Russell, and Debbie Accetturo, owner of Le Petit Jardin, an upscale retail, floral design and event planning business in Madison, chatted about the home’s outdoor spaces and their tips for homeowners with existing or new gardens. The self-guided tour will feature seven homes, five historic churches, the Madison-Morgan Cultural Center and other historic buildings.
About the home: The Jessup-Atkinson House, built in 1820, was purchased by Russell and her husband, Rick, in 2014.
“When I drive up in this driveway, it absolutely consumes me with how beautiful it is,” said Russell, who owns the Madison Tea Room & Garden. “Living in a historic home is a privilege, but the house never really belongs to you. It is only on loan to you. While it is on loan to you, share it with as many people as you can.”
Exterior features include the original wrought iron fence. The previous owners added the kitchen and symmetrical columned porticos on the rear of the home that overlook the garden.
“The porches jut out from the master bath, which is wonderful on a Sunday morning when you can just open the doors and go out and sit out on the veranda,” she said.
In her garden, you will see: A symmetrical layout and spring palette of pinks, greens and yellows with plants such as irises, roses, peonies, daylilies, azaleas, gardenias, camellias, oakleaf hydrangeas, boxwoods and Boston ferns. She is inspired by her collection of English china. "I look at the colors and the patterns in the greens and pinks and yellows, and I see everything in the way I decorate," she said.
A porch is not complete without: A tea cart. The one on her front porch is from the 1920s.
Garden design tip: Establish the bones of your garden, whether it is a bohemian garden or it's a traditional English garden, and work in sections, Accetturo said.
— Katy Roberts contributed
If You Go
2015 Madison in May Spring Tour of Homes and Gardens
When: 10 a.m.-5 p.m., April 30-May 2
Cost: $25 for single day, $35 for multiple days, through April 26; $30 for single day and $40 or multiple days after April 26
Info: mmcc-arts.org, 706-342-4743
About the Author
