The town of Lewes displays much in the way of gorgeous well-kept homes, lovely storefronts, and front-yard gardens all in plain view where any passerby can see them. To us, this told of a deep concern for aesthetics among the people of this charming town. Not everyone carries such an appreciation of beauty, and those who do aren't always willing to share. Lewes, on the other hand, wears its heart on its sleeve. A stroll down Second Street was a reminder of what a town should be: a place of leisure and friendly interaction as well as commerce. As if this wasn't enough to testify to Lewes' love of beauty, we also found out about the 20th annual Lewes Garden Tour, to which the Hosts were invited.

The park behind the Zwaanendael Museum was bustling with shop-tents which had been erected, and merchants sold various crafted items from bird-houses to lanterns to potted plants. Also set up behind the museum were Dutch games, and we tried our hands at lifting heavy barrels using varied pulleys. This was only to get folks started before heading out on the tour. While the Lewes Chamber of Commerce sponsors the event, the gardens themselves are the result of the devoted private owners and the gardeners in their employ. They plant gardens not because of a mandate requiring them to do so, but because they love it.

Most impressive about this tour was the variety of styles applied to the gardens. For example, there was the homey, backyard feel at the home of Janet and John Krygowski, contrasting with the exotic zen atmosphere cared for by Midge Smith and Carl Wisler. With creativity and skill, any combination of plants, trees and rocks can come together to form a tableau pleasing to the eyes. But I could describe flowers in words all day. Better for you to see them yourself! Come to Lewes sometime and stroll the streets, take in the atmosphere. One visit will probably lead to more!

See more pictures of the garden tour here.
Also, see the article in Cape Gazette.

Written by Erik Yount. Photography by Errol Webber.