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2006 ARS / ASA Joint Convention Post Convention Tour - D |
Monday and Tuesday, May 15-16, 2006
Tour D:Monticello and the Blue Ridge
After the convention, we offer an overnight tour into the mountains of Virginia. Space on this will be limited, so we encourage people to register early, as soon as registration materials are provided. Please note that this tour will require some hiking in places and may not be suitable for those who have difficulty walking.
Louer Garden
We will leave Rockville early Monday morning, first traveing to Haymarket, Virginia,
to admire the garden of Frances and Phil Louer, pictured to the right. The Louers have
approximately 5 acres of azaleas in their garden. It is one of the largest azalea
collections in our region with over 8000 plants and 2000 varieties.
Monticello
From there, we will travel south through the Virginia countryside to Charlottesville to
have a hearty lunch at historic Michie Tavern, and then will visit the famous home of Thomas Jefferson,
Monticello, and its lovely gardens. After the tour, we will get on the Blue Ridge Parkway and continue
south to the Peaks of Otter Lodge where we will spend the evening. Your meal that evening will
on your own at the hotel restaurant. One warning, though. Every room has a view of the
peak and the lake shown below, but there is no television nor
phones in the rooms. Plan on enjoying the peace and the quiet of nature, or gather in the
main lodge to talk with friends instead.
Paul James Garden
Paul has one of the largest collections of rhododendrons in our eastern region
including nearly 800 Delp hybrids. He has mature plants from many other
eastern hybridizes, including Russell and Velma Haag,
George Ring, Augie Kehr, and others. Paul provided many of the cuttings for the rare
plants we propagated for our plant sale. You will likely see many of these plants in bloom.
In addition to rhododendrons and azaleas, Paul has a spectacular rock garden and collections
of Japanese maples, dwarf conifers, hostas, wildflowers and many other rare plants.
Below are additional pictures from Paul's garden. Review the plant sale pages to see
more pictures of rhododendron hybrids in bloom as many of them were taken in Paul's garden.
Blue Ridge Parkway
The following morning, we will will have breakfast at the Lodge, and then head down the Parkway
to tour the lovely mountain garden of Paul James pictured to the right.
Paul's mountain property covers nearly 1000 acres, from the knoll where the picture to
the right was taken near his home, all the way to the top of the mountain in the distance.
We will only have time to see the manicured 8 to 10 acre garden on the slopes
surrounding his home.
Hillside Trail
Delp Hybrid 'Pana'
Rock Garden Path
During the travel from Charlottesville to Roanoke, we will travel primarily on
the scenic Blue Ridge
Parkway in Virginia, with scheduled stops so guests can admire native azaleas, rhododendrons,
and wildflowers in bloom in the mountain settings.
The pictures below were taken along the Parkway. Which areas that will provide the best
displays during the tour will depend upon the season and the elevation.
Shenandoah Valley View
R. catawbiense
R. catawbiense album
Near Otter Creek
Otter Creek
R. catawbiense
Trillium grandiflorum roseum
Thunder Ridge
Kalmia latifolia
View House Mountain
R. calendulaceum
Peaks of Otter
R. periclymenoides
Peaks of Otter
Cypridedium calceolus
Near Thunder Ridge
R. prinophyllum
Bald Mountain
Peaks of Otter Lodge
View of the Lake
R. catawbiense, blush
Near Peaks of Otter
Parkway near Peaks of Otter
R. catawbiense