BEYOND

HOUMAS HOUSE AND GARDENS DARROW, LOUISIANA

Located between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, Houmas House and Gardens gives visitors a chance to see what life was like on a sugarcane plantation in the 1800s. The 18,000-square-foot mansion, which was built in 1828, was bought by a New Orleans businessman 20 years ago. He wanted a summer home at the time. But once he started restoring the property, he knew he had to share it with the community.

The home and ornamental gardens on property were not well maintained after 1940, and owner Kevin Kelly has spent the past two decades restoring both to their original glory. Now the gardens are considered some of the best in Louisiana, featuring ponds, fountains and statuary.

There are historic gardens, new gardens, cactus and oriental gardens and traditional plantation gardens with azaleas and crepe myrtle trees spread over 38 acres. It took about four years to redo the historic gardens, and after that, Kelly kept adding on. He bought 34 acres next door and has plans to build the Gardens of Giverny in an homage to Monet and his famous paintings of water lilies. The area will have lily ponds and weeping willows.

Groups can take guided tours of the house and grounds. There are three greenhouses to bring the tropical plants indoors when the weather turns sour, as well as three restaurants. Group travelers can organize lunches there as part of their tour and even stay at the 21-room inn on property.

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Michaux, who planted the first camellias there in 1786. The camellias begin to bloom in February, when not much else is in season. Groups can take tours of the gardens with guides trained to bring them to the main sections in the garden’s history, including the Middleton Tomb, where Arthur Middleton is buried. Middleton was a signer of the Declaration of Independence.

“I think what is so unique about some of our interpretation is we strive to tell the whole story and the whole narrative,” said Brandon Stone, engagement manager for Middleton Place Foundation. “We combed through our archives and records to find the names of the Africans who were the first gardeners, caretakers of that land.” middletonplace.org

The organization offers tours of the only part of the original home that survived a fire in 1865. Middleton Place emphasizes how the plantation would have worked. The stable yards exhibit is about the craftsmanship that was displayed on plantations, including blacksmith and cooper shops, both jobs that would have been done by enslaved people. Groups can also enjoy a meal at the restaurant on property, which offers a taste of low country cuisine and the history behind it.

THE ELIZABETHAN GARDENS MANTEO, NORTH CAROLINA

MIDDLETON PLACE CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA

An 18th century rice plantation and National Historic Landmark, Middleton Place in Charleston, South Carolina, has America’s oldest landscaped gardens. Its sculpted terraces, parterres and reflection pools are laid out according to the principles of Andre Le Notre, a French botanist who was responsible for the gardens at Versailles.

Middleton Place’s signature gardens come from French botanist Andre elizabethangardens.org

The Elizabethan Gardens opened on North Carolina’s Roanoke Island in August 1960, but had been in the works since 1950, when a group of ladies visiting Fort Raleigh National Historic Site and “The Lost Colony” outdoor drama came up with the idea to build a two-acre garden on a 10-acre tract adjoining the park. They thought that such a cultural attraction would enhance the value of the area as a permanent memorial to Sir Walter Raleigh’s lost colonists.

The Garden Club of North Carolina loved the idea and voted to build the garden. At first, plans were modest, but after receiving a gift of valuable garden statuary, including an ancient Italian fountain and pool with balustrade, a carved Porphyry marble wellhead, sundial, birdbaths, stone steps and benches, the plans for the garden changed. Now when visitors enter the gardens through the Gate House, they see a beautiful Carrara marble fountain and smell the many herbs that would have been grown in a Shakespearean-era garden.

From the courtyard of the Gate House, guests can take three different paths through the gardens. The Sunken Garden consists of 32 identical parterres outlined in clipped dwarf yaupon, with the central focal point being the Italian fountain and pool with carved balustrade. An authentic 16th century gazebo was constructed overlooking Roanoke and Currituck Sounds. Guides can tailor tours based on what groups are interested in learning about, whether it be the plants or the many statues and fountains scattered throughout.

FAIRCHILD TROPICAL BOTANIC GARDEN CORAL GABLES, FLORIDA

Opened in 1938, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden sits on 83 acres in Coral Gables, Florida. The garden has more than 6,000 rare and exotic plants, from palms and flowers to shrubs, vines and fruit trees. The Water Gardens at Fairchild features 11 lakes and seven pools, including a sunken garden and waterfall, as well as the Tropical Plant Conservatory and Rare Plant House Pools.

The Wings of the Tropics exhibit is where visitors can spy hundreds of exotic butterflies fluttering among a stunning display of tropical plants yearround. Visitors also get to watch butterflies emerge from chrysalises at the Vollmer Metamorphosis Lab. After leaving the butterfly exhibit, visitors can wander through the Tropical Plant Conservatory and Rare Plant House and the Whitman Tropical Fruit Pavilion. The Tropical Flowering Tree Arboretum is a 12-acre display of 740 species of tropical flowering trees, shrubs and vines.

There are several group tour options at the gardens, including a tram tour, which is narrated by an expert guide and gives a nice introduction to the garden’s history, after which groups can explore on their own. Guided walks are led by trained volunteers who guide visitors along the way to many different plants, flowers, birds, butterflies and other wildlife. The content varies depending on the depar-

LEWIS GINTER BOTANICAL GARDENS RICHMOND, VIRGINIA

fairchildgarden.org lewisginter.org

Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens in Richmond, Virginia, features more than 50 acres of themed gardens, including a conservatory, rose garden and an Asian Valley. The gardens are designed in a way that encourages exploration, with winding pathways with scenic surprises at every turn.

Some gardens have long expanses or vistas or more parklike settings. Other areas are more intimate. The Asian Valley features rocks and boulders incorporated into the design. Waterfalls cascade over the rocks, feeding numerous plants that are native to Asia.

The gardens were founded in 1984, but the property has a unique history. In 1895 the original structure on the property was a bicycle club called Lakeside Wheel Club. It was founded by a philanthropist and businessman named Lewis Ginter. After he passed away, his niece used the property as a children’s hospital and later as a residence. In her will, she left an endowment to create a botanical garden named after her uncle.

Groups can book guided tours of the gardens or take self-guided tours. One option, From Bicycle Club to Botanical Garden, takes visitors through the history of the property. The Central Garden Walk is very accessible and includes a beautiful display garden with thousands of tulips in the spring and wonderful fountains. The conservatory is close by. The Garden Highlights Tour brings groups to the parts of the gardens that are currently in bloom.

Lake Williamson Christian Center

BY REBECCA TREON

The biggest problem church groups have during retreats at Lake Williamson Christian Center is figuring out how to fit in all the fun. Encompassing over 400 acres tucked in Carlinville, Illinois, Lake Williamson is known for its wide breadth of indoor and outdoor activity options and is the largest of Christian Retreat Network’s seven retreat centers in the East and Midwest.

“The Lake Williamson property has more amenities and recreation options than any of the properties — it’s a lot bigger,” said Ashley Haschemeyer, marketing manager at Christian Retreats Network. “It’s less humble than the other properties. It was established in 1960 by the Illinois District Assembly of God, which still owns and operates it today, but we welcome groups from all Christian denominations and even nonprofit organizations and schools.”

Roughly an hour north of St. Louis, Missouri, Lake Williamson is a popular retreat destination not only because of its ample size and remote location but also because it has vast recreational facilities, from escape rooms to mini-golf, swimming and ropes courses.

LOCATION

Carlinville, Illinois

SIZE:

Over 400 acres with motel and dorm-style lodging

CAPACITY:

1,400 overnight guests

CONTACT INFO: 800-500-5922 lakewilliamson.org

Accommodations

Lake Williamson offers a variety of accommodation options. Apart from some premium recreation offers (like groups reserving the beach area or doing a ropes course team-building experience), the lodging, meals and activities are all included in a per person price. Planners appreciate there are no surprises. And because the rate is bundled, they know what to charge their attendees.

“We have two styles of lodging,” said Haschemeyer. “We have 127 motel rooms with two full-size beds and a bunk bed with a private restroom. The dorm-style rooms have bunk beds with two shared bathrooms. But that’s not really why people come to Lake Williamson — they come for the great meeting spaces and for the recreation.”

Packages include three meals a day, and menus are chosen by the group planners and Lake Williamson’s service manager beforehand. Meals are buffet-style but tailored to the group’s tastes and include two entrees, a variety of sides, a salad bar and dessert.

Meeting Facilities

Each of Lake Williamson’s meeting rooms comes with audiovisual equipment, and there are snack and beverage options available. Both large groups and smaller groups will find options that suit their needs, since spaces can be customized. There are numerous configurations for worship services or musical or theatrical performances.

“Our auditorium can house 1,350 to 1,400 people, and we do actually hit that number several times during the summer,” said Haschemeyer. “But we can also accommodate three or four groups of about 300 to 400 people on our campus at the same time. We can customize the spaces and put up walls and take it from a big meeting room to four separate classrooms — our motto here is flexibility.”

Built in 2019, the Brotherhood Center is the newest facility, with a capacity of 600 plus two breakout rooms and state of the art A/V equipment. The Lincoln and Grant rooms each can hold 100, and seven other rooms can be standalone or reconfigured to accommodate more people. A room above the activities center has a seating capacity of 320; Lakeside Center has a capacity of 150; and Cottonwood Cabin was built for meetings of about 60 guests.

Activities

The recreation at Lake Williamson is a big draw for groups. Outdoor activities are plentiful: sand volleyball, basketball, softball, football, soccer, archery, ninesquare, Gaga ball, an obstacle course, mini-golf, disc golf, bocce ball, hiking, horseshoes, playgrounds, hayrides, bonfire sites and open fields for other games.

“We have pickleball, two escape rooms, an indoor pool and the lake, with pedal boats and canoes, a huge waterslide, a giant inflatable called the blob, an inflatable trampoline and the swimming area with the beachfront,” said Haschemeyer. “We have the Eagle Crest Adventures program, with high and low ropes courses, zip lines, axe throwing and a rock-climbing center that our guests love for team building.”

Inside, there is basketball, volleyball, wallyball, dodgeball, nine square, billiards, table tennis, board games, an adult-only fitness center, and blacklight sports including bowling and mini-golf.

Things To See And Do

Carlinville is a small town with only about 5,000 residents but is the home base for the Christian Retreat Network. The area is rural, and the 400 acres of the retreat center are surrounded by farms.

“Sometimes if we get groups from St. Louis or Chicago, they wonder if they’re in the right spot the first time they drive here,” said Haschemeyer. “They’ll be amazed when they see deer and corn fields. One advantage to being out here is that we’re a very safe and secure facility — there isn’t a bunch of traffic coming in and out, and people can roam around the property safely.”

Though people typically stay on-site for the duration of their retreat, Carlinville has a quaint downtown area with restaurants and shopping, plus a Walmart for any necessities. Nearby Springfield is a popular stop with visitors — it’s the capital of Illinois and features sports stadiums, museums like the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum and other attractions.