The Old Garden Roses Are Blooming

The Old Garden Roses began to bloom in our area recently.  We had some extremely cold temperatures here in the South this Winter and some say that is why the roses are blooming so nicely this Springtime.

This climbing rose is an Old Garden Rose grown from cuttings from Goodwood Museum and Gardens here in Tallahassee.  

Volunteers at the Museum give of their time and effort to raise funds for the Museum by  propagating roses grown in the original Old Rose Garden at Goodwood.   The volunteers provide over 180 varieties of roses from the Goodwood Rose Garden for their annual sale.

We planted this Goodwood Museum rose out on our front fence about three or four years ago.  As you can see this is a fast growing rose and has covered a large portion of the fence.

A friend of mine took a cutting of this rose and is going to try to find out the name.   I knew the name back when we purchased this rose, but have forgotten.  She is also going to see how easy it might be to get cuttings to grow.

This is a second Goodwood Old Garden Rose that we planted last year.  

It is located just down the way from the larger rose.

And, I have shared this Old Garden Rose here on this blog spot in the past.  It is called the Katrina Rose because it survived the very devastating hurricane Katrina that came through a few years ago over in New Orleans.

After the destruction of that storm and being covered with flooding waters this rose  continued to survive, grow and bloom.  We found this rose at the Antique Rose Emporium mail order catalog in Texas.  It is also called The Peggy Martin Rose.

Spring has been so beautiful here in Tallahassee this year.  

I hope it has been a blessed and beautiful Springtime for you too wherever you may be.

Tour of Homes In Monticello, Florida ~ Small Town USA ~ Part I

Recently the little Southern town of Monticello, Florida featured their Annual Home and Heritage Tour.   My husband and I both very much enjoy stepping back in time and visiting old Historic Homes.

Monticello is located in Jefferson County and is a short 23 miles East of our hometown Tallahassee, Florida.  This area is such a lovely part of the world ... As we drove East on Highway 90 we enjoyed the very scenic drive highlighted by wooded rolling hills,  dotted with stately Oak trees draped with old Spanish Moss.

The Monticello and Jefferson County area is known for mini-farms, horse farms, large hunting preserves, beef, dairy and crop farms.  There are also large beautiful plantations, untouched by modern encroachment,  such as the 8100-acre Avalon Plantation owned by the media and sports magnate Ted Turner.

We are welcomed as we enter the lovely little town of Monticello in Jefferson County.

Monticello was established in 1827 and was named after 

Thomas Jefferson's home Monticello, in Virginia 

The Monticello Courthouse is located right in the heart of downtown Monticello. 

The stately picturesque Courthouse was built in 1908.

Jefferson County Historical Association Headquarters is located in the c.1833 Wirick-Simmons House in downtown Monticello.  This beautiful old restored home was the first home on the tour.

This beautiful old home is a  c.1831 Greek Revival style home and was placed

on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.

This house was restored in the 1960's by a notable neoclassic architect from Albany, Georgia.

I loved this natural Azalea bouquet which was placed on an old antique table.  How pretty!

We see a lovely fireplace in the front room of the home.  

We were told all of the fireplaces were original to the home.

And, another lovely red azalea arrangement in one of the very colorful rooms of the home.

This room in the below photo reminded me of what would be similar to one of our modern day family rooms.  This room was located toward  the back of the house.

In this same room, located directly across the room from the couch, we see another very old fireplace.

We were told by our guide that these fireplaces burned coal.

This photo was taken from the upstairs balcony and shows the entrance hall.

On our way out I noticed these lovely white irises blooming in the front flower bed.

In the below photo we see the next old historical home on the tour  which is called the Dillworth-Barnhill House.  This lovely two story home was built in 1852 and sold again just after the Civil War.  

The home is privately owned and is being painstakingly restored room by room by the current owners.

As we approached the walk-way to the home this beautiful red Camellia caught my eye.  You can see touches of Spanish Moss clinging to the Camellia bush on the left.

On the right entrance to the home we see these lovely Sago Palms.  

I think of these palms as Southern plants, but actually they are native to Southern Japan.   

They survive nicely in hardiness zones 8 through 11.

And just past the Sago Palms we see the beautiful Formosa Azalea bush almost in full bloom.

As we approach the front porch we notice the pedestal planters on each side of the door are filled with Cast Iron plants.  

I think of Cast Iron plants as a Southern plant  because we see them in almost every yard here in North Florida.   They are originally native to Japan,  and they are extremely hardy, low maintenance, and some even say they thrive on neglect,  (my kind of plant).

As we walk up on the porch and look to the left we see this lovely colorful bouquet sitting on the wicker table.  

This would be such a lovely spot for early morning breakfast,  or come to think of it,  even lunch or dinner too!

I LOVE natural greenery arrangements that looks like you walked outside in the yard and took cutting from your favorite yard and garden plants.  This natural bouquet was on the table inside the foyer as we walked inside this lovely old home.

A beautiful natural greenery arrangement.

This room in the home was still set up for a family wedding 

that had taken place just the weekend before.

Such a pretty room including a fireplace.

Walking into the next room we see the dining room which also has a pretty fireplace.

Upstairs we enter into a very pretty bedroom.  

What an interesting antique bed with lovely country quilts.

Across from the antique bed we see the rest of the nicely 

decorated bedroom and another antique fireplace.

Another large and nicely decorated bedroom.

     In the next bedroom this lovely Hydrangea bouquet sitting on this wicker table caught my eye.

What a pretty color for this bedroom.

I love blue and white.

The below photo shows the upstairs hall with a screen-door leading to the upstairs outside porch.

I love the way screen doors keep the bugs out, but lets the nice fresh air inside.

And walking through the screen-door we visit the upstairs front porch.  The blue painted ceiling is very popular here in the South.  They say bugs are confused with the blue,  thinking they are looking at the sky,  and will not build their nests there.

There were several more homes on this Tour of Homes in the lovely little Southern town of Monticello.  In upcoming posts I will be showing more of these lovely homes.

Thanks for coming along with us as we step back in time to see how life was lived in the 1800s.

I hope you have had a very nice weekend and wish you many blessings wherever you may be.

The Park Avenue Inn ~ Historic District of Tallahassee, Florida

Downtown Tallahassee was crowded on this day due to the Springtime Tallahassee festivities which included The Grand Parade followed by the Jubilee in the Park, which included entertainment and  lots and lots of food booths, arts and crafts and much more.

The Jubilee in the Park was held in what is called "The Chain of Parks" along the Historic District in the Tallahassee area.   In the below photo we see "The Old Clock" which is located in the Historic District.

The Park Avenue Historic District is a United States Historic District and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.   The district runs along "The Chain of Parks and contains 27 historic buildings.

We just happened to be walking through the park area on our way back to find our car which was parked a few blocks away.

Originally the parks of Park Avenue was a dirt clearing to protect residents of Tallahassee from Indian attacks.  Eventually in 1880 residents converted the dirt clearing into parks.  In time, some of the City's finest early residences were built along Park Avenue.

I was so glad to have my camera on this beautiful day and was able to capture some of the sights while walking back to the car.

Dogwoods just beginning to bloom in the park.

We walked past the Lewis House which as you can see in the below photo was one 

of the original homes along Park Avenue.

The Lewis House was built by  B.C. Lewis, a pharmacist and founder of Lewis State Bank,

one of the longest operating financial institutions in the state.

The Lewis House

As we looked across the park,  on the other side of the street,  we 

noticed people coming and going in this pretty old historic home on Park Avenue.

The Park Avenue Inn

Circa 1838

323 East Park Avenue

Tallahassee, Florida

Curious,  we crossed the street to get a closer look.  

We spotted the sign seen in the below photo on the front porch of the Inn.

We found this newly opened Inn was offering snacks and water to the folks coming and going from the Springtime festivities.  You can see the table set up on the front porch.

Loving old homes as I do,  and since the door was open, and we had seen others coming and going,  we walked inside.  The Inn keepers were very nice and told us they would be happy to show us around.

As we walked up toward the front porch it was interesting to see 

this old stone wall surrounding the entrance to the Inn.

We were told this old stone wall is original to the house.

I loved the pretty little ferns growing out of the stone.

Before we stepped inside,  I could not help but admire this lovely

old Southern style wrap-a-round front porch.  

In case you are wondering, yes, those are lemons growing in the pretty pedestal planters on the porch.

Stepping into the front door we immediately see the elegant furnishings 

and grandeur of this old Antebellum mansion.

The very unusual grand staircase immediately caught our eye.

We noticed this unusual light on the staircase entrance post.

As you step into the hallway and look to the left we see this very pretty drawing room.

We were told the windows in the home are the original windows.

From the drawing room we walk ahead and enter into the lovely dining room.

We were told this fireplace in the dining room burned coal back in the 1800s.

The antique furniture seen throughout the Inn belonged to the same family

 in this home for over 160 years.

This beautiful old sideboard looks like it is all set for dessert to be served.

These pretty tulips looked beautiful as a centerpiece for the dining room table.

Guests at the Inn can enjoy a family-style continental breakfast around the dining room table. 

 Or, they can sit and enjoy breakfast out on the porch or even take breakfast to go.

The Inn features five guest rooms and suites all furnished with period pieces.  

And,  guests can expect to find all modern conveniences.

In the below photo we see one of the sitting rooms off one of the downstairs bedrooms.

In the below photo we see a close-up of the fireplace in the sitting room.  We were told the photo sitting on the fireplace mantel is a portrait of a girl friend of one of the young men who lived in the home at one time.

In the below photo this unusual chair is one of two similar chairs in the sitting room.

Our tour guide was not showing the upstairs bedrooms due to the guests staying at the Inn.  But, I can imagine the upstairs of the home was just as pretty as downstairs.

We were told the Inn is available for Private Events, Luncheons, Wedding Receptions, Anniversary Receptions, Graduation Celebrations and much more.   We were also told there are elegant queen rooms, king suites, private baths, bridal suite with private salon and is available nightly, weekly, and monthly.

As we walked down the hall on our way out,  I had to take a photo of this lovely Easter Lily.

Sitting on the same table with the Easter Lily I noticed this very interesting looking book called Remembering Tallahassee.  Curiosity took me to visit Mr. Google to find out about the book.  This is what I found:  

Remembering Tallahassee follows life, government, education, and events throughout the city’s history.  It captures unique and rare scenes through the lens of more than 100 historic photographs. Published in striking black-and-white, these images communicate historic events and everyday life of two centuries of people building a unique and prosperous city.

As we walked outside,  we noticed how beautiful the front door to the home was.  It looked like it was made from oak wood and could have been the original door.  

Also it was interesting to see the top part of the door opened separately from the bottom section of the door.

Leaving the home we again look across the street to the beautiful trees along Park Avenue.

As we walked across the street on toward our car,  these colorful blossoms in the park caught my eye.

My husband said he thought these lovely flowers were apple blossoms.

In the below photo is another old historic home along Park Avenue.

And along the way, another old home in the downtown area.

I love this charming little home in the below photo.

And approaching our car after our long walk, last but not least,  I just had to get a photo of this beautiful old home in the downtown area.  

You can see it was a breezy day as the Spanish Moss blows in the breeze on the trees above.

I hope you enjoyed walking along with us through the streets of downtown Tallahassee and a tour of the old Historic Park Avenue Inn.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend with many blessings wherever you may be.