afton villa gardens

625jackyq

Very beautiful gardens, quiet, tranquil.It is nice to walk around and take some pictures if you're a shutter bug.You can see the old foundation which is kinda cool - makes you wonder what the place looked like way back when.Was here in 2012 - I'm way behind on my reviews - sorry

Txzgurl

Very nice and peaceful...we arrived about two hours prior to closing and were the only visitors for a while. The sun, shining through the moss, hanging from the huge oak trees, was beautiful. Enjoyed our walk through the gardens and plan to return. The weather was perfect!

ByronFurseth

Late May is not the best of times - better to go in April or early May. The host was delightful and they shared a snack and drinks.

lazydaze22

We passed it up 3 times before we found the entrance. The sign is barely visible and you need to be searching hard for it. It would be very difficult if you were trying to drive and find it on your own. Thankfully, I had read the reviews about the man just hanging out in the truck and asking for your money. He seemed to come up out of nowhere from the direction of the pond. Very sketchy but seems to be legit. The grounds are very beautiful. The main garden on the ruins is much smaller than I had anticipated but still worth going to see. The sprinklers were all on so we were not able to go down into the patio type area or sit down and relax on any of those benches. I imagine it would be quite nice.

lmg033

This place was so gorgeous to stroll around, but when you to get in there is only a man sitting in a truck who gets out to collect your money to enter. If I had not read the reviews before going I would have been shocked and confused by the whole process, honestly. Then once you get in you really have to show yourself around, but it was beautiful! I felt like I was in The Secret Garden with all of the hidden trails and paths off in the trees. I loved it!

754nancym

Stroll these gardens and read the history of the plantation. Lovely in the spring when all of the bulbs and azaleas are in bloom.

FriedaC688

The gardens are a little hard to find but they are a hidden gem. There is a $5.00 entrance fee paid at the front of the gardens. It was a warm and humid day when we visited but the gardens were just lovely. The gardens are "built" on top of a burned dwelling so it gives it an old world feel. On the day we visited we were indeed fortunate to become acquainted with the owner of the gardens, Mrs. Genevieve Trimble. She and her daughter and the gardeners were preparing the gardens for a major show and symposium on gardening. She was indeed very gracious and shared stories of the home and the gardens with us. There are over 100,00 daffodil bulbs planted on the property - which must be breath taking to see in the spring. There are paths to be explored and interesting plants to observe. Butterflies were in abundance the day we were there. Be aware there are no restroom facilities or snack shop and worse of all no gift shop. Mrs. Trimble is in the process of writing a book about the gardens...it will be a must buy.

davec621

We found the gardens to be beautiful, but entering the grounds was most uncomfortable. A car was parked next to the entrance, and as we were about to drive in, a young man got out of the car, handed us a brochure, and indicated that there was a $5/person entrance fee. He looked very unprofessional, and there was no sign indicating a fee. From his looks and unprofessional presentation, we felt like we were getting scammed, but we gave him $10. As we drove in, we both felt uncomfortable. No one was in the gardens. We thoroughly enjoyed the gardens, and didn't expect to see the car parked when we left. It was still there, and the person was slouched in the passenger side. We called the phone number on the brochure the next day and left a message, but never heard from them. Quite strange.

SuzanneJ151

A beautiful garden, growing from the ruins of a burned-out plantation home. We actually stumbled upon the owners the day we toured the gardens....it was fabulous to hear the story of how they acquired the land some 40 yrs ago, and how they continue to replant throughout the years. A true labor of love.

CurtistineE

Even without the house these grounds are exquisite! What a quiet, beautiful retreat from the busy highway. You wouldn't even know that civilization was anywhere close by. The grounds are well tended and I had the privilege of a two hour chat with the head gardener, Mr. Jones. The brochure was very informative but I so enjoyed my time with Mr. Jones. He is a treasure and loves and tenderly cares for Afton Villa.

TopKat2010

This visit was full of beauty and also a bit melancholic due to the fact the mansion is no longer there. The magnitude of the old plantation homes and grounds is breathtaking. You will surely enjoy this beautiful spot!

Shadowhider

Waw is an understaement. This is a garden one must see in their life. Ivy and crew have this place loooking so beautiful. I could walk or sit for hours taking in the beauty! Job well done and well worth the visit!

Nani1950

My sister, cousin and I visited and loved the place. Two of us are serious gardeners and we found things to delight us at every turn. We were too late to see the Azalea in bloom but the garden is still a delight. The admission price was $5.00 each and well worth it, if you are able bodied enough to stroll the whole area. Be sure and see the garden and stroll down to the pond. Just lovely! Don't forget your camera!

RetiredTravelerTN

Driving into Afton Villa Gardens on April 5, we were too late to see most of the large azaleas in full bloom, but we found peace along the driveway with tall trees reaching over the road. As soon as we stepped out of our car, we were greeted with the sound of singing birds. We wandered from the foundation area of the mansion (which has become an informal garden) to the terraced lawn and a formal garden. A small spot with statue figures playing musical instruments led to a large, natural hillside covered with daffodils and white azaleas. That led to a pretty pond, some wisteria, and large trees with resurrection ferns living along the branches. What a beautiful place!Afton Villa Gardens is on the grounds of a mansion that burned down in the sixties. The current owner desires to maintain the beautiful old gardens. It’s a low key operation with little signage – no brown highway sign to alert tourists to a historic spot -- you have to have a good idea of where you are going and look for it. The garden was an inexpensive stop ($5 each), but very worthwhile for a peaceful hour.

Tay1

Lovely gardens in and around the ruins of the burned plantation house. Impressive reuse of the ruins. The only downside was the slovenly appearance of the individual manning the entry point. No brochure was offered, and there was no one to get info from once in the gardens. As we left we were given a brochure with traces of fried chicken on them - remnants of the guys lunch!