Hills and Dales Saturday April 20, 2013

 Here we are on a book club field trip to LaGrange, Georgia to visit an estate called Hills and Dales.  This wasn't a trip connected to any particular book we read, just an excuse for a little Saturday excursion.  Hills and Dales is the family home of the Callaway family (as in Callaway Gardens and Callaway Golf)  The home was built on the original estate of Judge Blount and Sarah Ferrell.   Mrs. Ferrell made it her life's ambition to create a formal garden reminiscent of an  Italian villa.   Her garden was known in town as Ferrell Gardens or The Terraces.   Fuller Callaway purchased the estate from Mrs. Ferrell in 1912 and began construction of his mansion which was completed in 1916.

   In this photo Lori, Susan, Cheryl and I are standing on the steps in front of the formal entrance side of the home.  The more common entrance is on the side with a porte-cochere.  We had a private tour of the house with our guide Joanna.  Photography wasn't allowed inside the house, hence no interior photos for this blog.  We all agreed the home was (surprising for its time) outfitted with some conveniences and luxuries that can be found on many house-hunter wish lists today: things like a full-body spa shower,  master bedroom coffee bar....lovely bright kitchen breakfast area with an appealing black & white tile floor... large kitchen island w/ built in pot rack...a mudroom off the kitchen, to remember a few.   We were lucky to have the whole house and gardens almost completely to ourselves.  What a delight to be in a pretty place on such a pretty day!

Unusual window treatment of espaliered magnolias.

Cheryl, I and Lori are basking in the sunshine!

 The elegant and stately Italian villa which was built in 1916 for
Fuller E. Calloway, Sr.

 Doesn't this espaliered shrub look like a six-fingered hand slapping the pool house...

 Meandering around the house into the formal gardens.

 We were told the long rectangular troughs were for storing the bricks and foundation blocks, but I can't remember why, maybe for maintenance...

 Close up of a calla lily in the greenhouse pool.  Calla lilies were the favorite flower of the  first Mrs. Hallway (Ida Cason Callaway) and have become a Callaway icon.

 Lori admiring the orchids.

Gorgeous white phalaenopsis orchids....they look like they're just begging for a wedding invitation.....

                                  Aren't these polka dot caladiums as cute as can be?

                                         The greenhouse framed by the snowball hydrangea.

The lovely snowball blossoms resembled paper lanterns hanging from the tree....perfect for a wedding photo opp....Can't you just see a bride and groom in this photo?

 An organic arbor formed by some very old cedar trees and framed with wisteria.  We thought this would be just the site for an outdoor wedding.... Insert bride and groom here

....

Lovely view from the garden looking towards the kitchen side of the home.        

                                              Close up of the original Ferrell garden gate.

 The contempletive section...

 This little oriental-style ceramic birdhouse was tucked in the shrubbery near the gate...

                                                  One of the original (read very old) trees...

                                           The formal boxwoods in front of the visitors center.

                                                 Cheryl and Susan at the end of the tour.


I liked this quote found in the tour brochure:
"Life is short, and as we pass this way but once, why not strew our paths with rose petals, so as to leave fragrance on life's way?"....Ida Cason Callaway, 1929.