Day Tripper Garden Tours

 

 

Charleston has long been renowned for its beautiful gardens, practically since the arrival of the first settlers at Albemarle Point in 1670.  A year round temperate climate combined with cooling sea breezes and perfumed by the coastal aromas of marsh and salt have resulted in an environment peculiarly suited for agriculture.  Fortunes made from agriculture quickly elevated Charleston to the forefront of colonial politics, economics, and culture, but Charlestonians were not content to stop there. 

Throughout the state of South Carolina, plantation gardens dating from the seventeenth century still survive. Some still in the hands of the original descendents. Many of the original gardens still exist today but they have also been handsomely enhanced with new garden spaces, ideas and the very latest of plant cultivars. Most of the owners of these great plantations today see themselves, not as owners but as stewards, passing through a place where time stands still. As Mrs. Sidney Legendre (1902-2000) of Medway once stated “Friends tell me that I have left my mark on Medway. But I can only say that this historic property has left its mark on me.”

Our Day Tripper Tour offers our members the insight of what makes these places so special as well as a first hand look at these well cared for properties and often meeting the owners and the managers who care for these special places. While most of our visits are to historic places, some are noted for their horticultural interest alone. Each trip is different but usually we usually leave by coach at 9 and return by 6 p.m. Lunch is included as a picnic along the way or at a special location.