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 When
R.B. and Jenny Fitch purchased the Fearrington farm in 1974, they
retained the character of the land now known as the Village Center.
The operational heart of the farm, it was dotted with operational
structures that they kept and reused. The pastures surrounding the
Village Center have been preserved, and farm animals continue to
graze here.
In 1980, Jenny started the Fearrington House Restaurant, the Village
Center’s first business. And almost immediately, brides began asking
to have their weddings here; in response Jenny installed attractive
garden backdrops and extensive cutting gardens to provide flowers
for tables and for these special events. Her designs combined her
practical horticultural skills having growing up here in Chatham
County and her design instincts honed over visits to many of
Europe’s most inspiring public and private gardens.
As the Village Center expanded, so did the gardens. New and
renovated structures such as McIntyre's Books, Dovecote Home and
Garden, The Old Granary Restaurant, the Inn Building and the Park
Building were added and connected via winding brick sidewalks and
landscaping. A gravel road and parking lot adjacent to the
Fearrington House Restaurant was removed to enhance privacy and
aesthetics. And in the heart of the Village Center, a center island
was created, complete with green space and mixed garden beds.
More recently, private garden courtyards, all containing water
features, have been added to the Inn room entrances in the Park
Building. In 2008,
the Garden Terrace was completed, in the process creating several
landscaped courtyard settings and offering guests a venue from which
to enjoy the stunning views of the pasture and the House. A new
cobblestone entrance patio to the Barn was also added that year.
Helping to guide the expansion was a keen desire to retain and
highlight mature specimen trees such the Pecan Trees behind the
Fearrington House Restaurant, the towering white oaks and Black Gum
tree in front of the Restaurant, and a stand of pine trees next to
the granary. These were planted by the Fearrington family
or are native, and continue to inspire guests.
Back to Garden Images & Map>>
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