June 26-27,2010
We have beautiful gardens on tour. Come spend the day strolling through private home gardens many that have never been seen by the public.

Admission: Free and open to the public

Chairwoman:  Pat Abrecrombie

The South Carolina Festival of Flowers is proud to present four beautiful garden tours this ear. Come spend the day strolling through private home gardens, many that have never seen seen by the public.

2010 Garden Tour information coming soon!

2009 Garden Tours:

Lamar and Margery Lightsey; 108 Garden Trace, Wesley Commonc
Mr. Lightsey is very resourceful. He gave his wife a raised miniature rose garden, a perennial flower border, a cut flower garden and a gardener. Mrs. Lightsey has especially enjoyed the miniature roses. She provides the meeting place at Wesley Commons with seasonal flowers picked from her perennial and cutting gardens. For those of you pondering a move to a retirement community, come visit the Lightsey’s garden to see just how many beautiful varieties of flowers you can grow in a small space.

Boykin and Betty Curry; 102 Hemlock Ct, Milford Manor
The Curry’s garden was laid out approximately twenty five years ago by Walter Chestnut, the most prominent landscape architect in South Carolina at that time. The garden is simple in plan, but beautiful in its classic layout. At the far end of the garden, an arbor with plantings of natural shrubs, trees and groundcover. Of special interest are the two bronze jardinières on the terrace. They are very old and are planted seasonally. Don’t miss the English boxwood at the front of the house.

Dr. Bennett and Bettye Kinard; 104 Riverbirch Dr., Milford Manor
The Kinard garden was laid out by a young Greenville landscape architect, Skip Armstrong, about nine years ago. This garden boasts a luxurious, well manicured lawn and raised flower beds for easy maintenance. If you are looking for great landscape ideas that are low maintenance, this garden is for you.

Nita Carmichael; 112 Wimbledon Ct, Gatewood Community
When Nita relocated, downsizing gave her more free time to spend in her garden and to remain active with other personal pursuits. Among many other community activities, she currently serves as the President of The Greenwood Council of Garden Clubs. In her garden, you will see wax myrtles, azalea, two varieties of hydrangea, loquat, Yaupon holly, Japanese yew, rhododendron and junipers. The view of the lake from her deck is very special and her glass enclosed sun porch is cool and serene.

Neal Willard and Coleman Williamson; 421 Ligon Rd
These folks must be gluttons for punishment! This will be their fourth year as hosts of the Festival of Flower Garden Tour. Neal says, “Somebody else might as well enjoy it. I spend all of my time working in it.” The garden was literally carved out of hills and cut-over woodland. It is still a “work in progress”, referring to the parterres Coleman has been working on for twelve years. “You must keep coming back each year to see the fruits of my labor”, Coleman states. It has most of the elements of a small Palladian villa transported to the country. There is a rose garden (not always happy), a pond, a fountain, an allee of crape myrtles, a perennial border, green fields, statuary and a greenhouse with work yard.

The City of Greenwood Garden; West Cambridge Ave.
Across from Greenwood Country Club and in front of the American Legion Hall.
This garden, which sits on land deeded to the city by the Self family, is just packed with a large variety of border perennials and a large rose bed. The garden was first planted by the Men’s Garden Club in 1990. Donations from eighty-four individuals and businesses enabled the club to enhance the garden with a classical white gazebo, two “sheaves of wheat” motif bridges and a fanciful iron rose arbor. Design for these garden features were executed by club member and garden tour host, Coleman Williamson. When you visit this garden, you will quickly see why it is such a popular place for photographing special occasions. Come see what can be done when the city, county and members of the community work together to beautify what could have otherwise been just another barren spot.