state arboretum of virginia

The Arboretum is a very special place to go, either by your self, a friend or with your family. The grounds are beautiful with many trees and plants of all kinds, most of them are marked. There are many ideal spots for picnicking or just sitting and enjoying nature. There are some very nice trails for walking. If one chooses to drive, there are roads to most areas of the property which covers several hundred acres. At the Arboretum there is something for anyone who loves nature and to be out of doors.

We went to the arboretum to wander the grounds and have a picnic on a beautiful day and we were not disappointed. It is well laid out, you can walk or drive and there are plenty of maps to guide you on your drive/walk. There is a beautiful picnic area where you can sit under a nice canopy of trees or out under the sky next to some beautiful fields. The best thing is that it is free to access - bring your lovie, your kiddos, your friends and enjoy a beautiful afternoon with nature!

Extensive, beautiful arboretum. We took a slow drive around the loop. Great variety of trees. The grounds are well laid out. On the day we visited there were booths set up with garden/nursery items for purchase.

What a nice spot for a stroll. Everything is well maintained and since it's free to enter that's really saying something. Ginkos, chestnuts, cedars of Lebanon, an herb garden, just to name a few of the 5,000 specimens. Easy jump on and off interstate 81 (about ten miles). Bring a picnic and stop for lunch.

In the northern corner of the Shenandoah Valley off Route 50 approximately 60 miles from Washington, DC is this bucolic retreat with woodlands, meadows, perennial and herb gardens. The Virginia State Arboretum is part of the University of Virginia Blandy Experimental Farm with over 6000 trees and shrubs that change color, texture and fragrance with the seasons. The ginkgo grove in autumn becomes a riot of gold, the maples turn crimson, while the cedars of Lebanon and the boxwoods maintain their handsome green. There are native plant trails, wetland walks, and places to pause and bird watch. When we recently visited the wildflower meadow was in its fall glory. Laminated information guides are available that helped us to learn and identify the blooming plants. For the mobility impaired the Wilkins Lane Loop Drive allows for wonderful views of the trees and rolling meadowland. Admission to the Arboretum is free, but a variety of workshops, classes and guided walks have small fees. The website www.blandy.virginia.edu has the schedule of the public programs.

Are you looking for a place to wander and roam in the beauty of nature? If so, the State Arboretum of Virginia is the place for you. There are a variety of majestic evergreens as well as many other types of lovely trees. This is a peaceful and beautiful place to spend a few hours on a weekend. From D.C., the arboretum is located right off Route 50 West just before Winchester. It is one of the hidden gems of the Virginia countryside, worth the ride to enjoy the tranquility of nature.

The Arboretum was a lovely place, with a few nice walking trails. Some beautiful trees and plants. A nice, relaxing place to spend an hour or two.

Very pretty! I didn't get to walk along all the paths, but the ones we went on were great. We were just driving along and saw the sign and decided to stop. I'd love to go back and explore more!

We stumbled upon this location as it was near our Inn. What a lovely place! We walked, took photos and enjoyed the varied trees, flowers and vegetation!

Years ago I visited this unique farm for trees and other things that grow. I enjoy being among the trees and the very greenness of the area. Of course, I did bring home some of this greenness of little plants that the gift shop was kind enough to sell to me.

Available to help and discuss your planting needs...plus having a most awesome view and a quiet place to take your elderly father for a nice walk and see flora and fauna!

While in the Winchester, VA area, we were looking for a walking trail and found the Blandy Arboretum. It's a very lovely place with a variety of plantings and lovely structures. We spotted many nesting eastern blue birds during our walk. It's a very peaceful setting with the exception of one very rude lawn mower. We passed several people mowing during our walk and most turned away from us when we approached but one very rude man followed us as far as he could in the field blowing grass directly at us, then when we turned to walk in another direction, he deliberately got on the gravel road and followed us the whole way back to the parking lot. On a brighter note, the lady in the gift shop and the volunteers who were weeding were very pleasant and friendly.

This place is heaven on Earth. Wonderful walking trails, human and horse; world class trees, diverse landscape, and all with a magnificent view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It is the State Arboretum of Virginia, beautifully maintained by UVA.

I have passed by the Arboretum for years and always told myself someday when I had time I would stop in and visit. Well I have some extra free time so on an unseasonably warm October day we made the trip to visit. First let me say this is not the first arboretum that we have visited so I was not expecting lavish gardens. I came to see the trees and experience the great outdoors on a beautiful day and we were not disappointed. We plan to come back and visit again during different seasons since many of what is in bloom during the spring was not blooming this time of year. What we did find was a beautiful scenic peaceful experience. The arboretum offers many different things to please the senses. There is a native plant trail of 0.6 miles that allows visitors to walk around a large meadow of native grasses and plants and enjoy the wildlife that exists within this space. We saw bluebirds, cardinals and the best part was we saw a group of Northern Bobwhite Quail which were in the grass and came extremely close to us so that we could get good pictures. When we showed the pictures to one of the staff she was amazed at what we got as she has been working there 13 years and never got as close as we did.In the center of the property there is the visitor’s parking lot which has a path that leads to the offices, Quarters Building, which are housed in a large structure that must have been the residence back in the day. Near the parking lot is the herb gardens and the research lab which is not open to the public. On one side of the paths is a picnic groove and on the other side is the boxwood display and the Amphitheater. To get to the native plant trail there is an old road you can walk down which is lined with dogwoods which must be beautiful when the trees are blooming.There is a loop drive on a gravel road, 2.5 miles in length, which should not be missed as it allows you easy access to the Conifer Trail and the impressive Cedar of Lebanon Allee.All of this I might mention is free!

Great place to hike and/or walk your dog. (Clean up after, like everybody seems to do.) For me the best part is the great selection of huge old trees. The trails are well marked and mapped on the placards, so it's easy to walk as long as you want, from a half hour on up. They also seem to have great facilities to park a horse trailer and go for a ride on equestrian trails that are separate from the walking trails.