Alexandria, VA – June bids the merry month of May a fond farewell as spring segues into summertime.
May proved to be blooming with very special places within and barely beyond the Beltway showcasing art and floral fantasies amid notable history and remarkable architecture.
Appropriately on the First of May, traditionally May Day, when friends and neighbors shared May Day flower baskets, aficionados and supporters of River Farm gathered on the resplendent grounds of the historic property. They came to celebrate the permanent conservation easement protection of the 25-acre riverfront property once part of George Washington’s original Mount Vernon estate.
On a picture-postcard perfect day, Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck and Senator Scott A. Surovell (who was married there), along with leaders representing the Northern Virginia Conservation Trust and The American Horticultural Society, proudly cut the ribbon, making it official. River Farm will forever remain a sanctuary for exhibiting horticultural art in the mansion, making nuptial dreams come true and, naturally, welcoming avocational gardeners, horticulturalists, nature lovers, and neighbors from around the DMV to this treasured haven.
Not to be missed this June at River Farm are the new landscapes and floral works by members of Salon Eight, on exhibit through June 27, 2026. Also it’s not too late to purchase your tickets to the Starlit Spring Gala on June 6! The dancing under the stars gala event honors Liberty Hyde Bailey Award recipient Dr. John Dole, along with three others whose visionary leadership has preserved River Farm for grateful future generations: Tim Conlon, Laura Dowling, and Holly Shimizu.
On another spectacular May day at the Lee-Fendall House Museum and Garden, the annual spring fundraiser went Kentucky Derby style, yet not in a run for the roses or mint juleps. Instead wine and art highlighted the evening fare. Wine gallery owner Lisa Katic curated nine exceptional wines expertly paired with amuse-bouche savories along with equine-themed sugar cookies – delectable while downing the exquisite Cuvée Françoise Brut. The standout/sellout 2022 Matthews Cabernet Sauvignon as well as the Cuvée and all the wines sampled are available while supplies last (and going fast) at Wine 108 at 108 N. St. Asaph Street in Old Town.
Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins joined Board President Ed Horn and Museum Director extraordinaire Jenny Waters in welcoming the guests gathered in support of fundraising for the restoration and excavation of the brick outhouse. Mayor Gaskins highlighted the accomplishments of the museum, now in its 52nd year as a historic home and museum, and praised the event’s representation of women-owned businesses and women-managed organizations. Truly it was a night to remember, so mark your calendars for Wine and Art Night 2027!
If you have never been to Hollin Hills in peak azalea season, or for the biannual Home and Garden Tour, you haven’t been to Hollin Hills. Nepenthe Gallery partnered with the fundraiser-tour planners. Mid-Century Modern artwork was on display in the gallery as well on exhibit in select gardens on the tour.
The home of artist and endodontist Jim Murrin is among the most exemplary mid-century modern renovated homes in all Hollin Hills. Not only is Jim an accomplished endodontist for humans, but has also provided root canals for silverback gorillas, lions, and tigers, and polar bears (Oh my!) for the Columbus Zoo. His paintings on view in the detached studio are a perfect complement to the impressive decor inside and out. Think Art in America and Architectural Digest combined to create the most inviting and popular tour dream home and garden vicarious thrill.
Speaking of Nepenthe, the gallery is pleased to announce its very first Call to Artists! Alexandria Experience is a juried exhibit celebrating all that makes Alexandria great: its history, beauty, and diversity as well as its expansive cultural and architectural richness. Alexandria Experience is on exhibit from September 24 to October 29, 2026.
Original artwork in any medium will be considered, with submissions due August 1. By then the newly expanded Nepenthe Gallery – still in the Hollin Hall Shopping Center – will be open and ready to exhibit the Alexandria experience in art that’s all around us.
Editor’s Note: Last month River Farm’s next-door neighbor Dan Snyder’s river view estate was on the market for $49.9 million, and former Hollin Hills resident Roberta Flack’s home there was on the market for $1.89 million.
