Visiting A Gillette Garden

          Virginia Landscape Design Consultants recently toured the Gilette gardens at the historic Virginia House in Richmond.  Although the magnificent home was built in 1927, the stone and materials came from a sixteenth century priory in England.  Alexander Weddell and his wife Virginia had the dismantled building materials shipped to Richmond to construct their “new” home.  And, the grand new home required a grand new garden.

            While overseeing the design work at a newly built college in Richmond, now the University of Richmond, renowned Boston landscape architect Charles Gillette met many people in the local area.  So when the Weddells built their home, they hired Gillette to design their gardens.  He also designed gardens for Agecroft Hall, as well as other notable Virginia homes, creating a regional style of gardens that later became known as the “Virginia Garden.”  Gillette created more than 2,500 design projects around the country in his 56-year career.



The Virginia House