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Walk four meticulously restored historic gardens in Natchez, meet camellia historian Wayne Stromeyer, and toast restoration with an optional cocktail reception. This one-day tour blends horticultural history, plant sales, and a convivial southern afternoon—perfect for gardeners and cultural travelers.
Walk four meticulously restored historic gardens in Natchez, meet camellia historian Wayne Stromeyer, and toast restoration with an optional cocktail reception. This one-day tour blends horticultural history, plant sales, and a convivial southern afternoon—perfect for gardeners and cultural travelers.
Book with Natchez Pilgrimage Tours
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Operated by Natchez Pilgrimage Tours · Natchez, Mississippi
Everything Old Is New Again takes place in Natchez, Mississippi, a river town on the Mississippi River known for its antebellum architecture and historic landscapes. This garden tour and party walks guests through four restored historic gardens—Greenlea (211 S. Wall Street), Myrtle Terrace (310 N. Pearl Street), Green Leaves (303 S. Rankin Street), and Bontura (107 S. Broadway Street)—each offering distinct courtyards, heirloom plantings, and revived design gestures that bridge 19th-century Southern horticulture and contemporary stewardship. By daylight, paths reveal camellia thickets, period-appropriate parterre shapes, and sweeping lawn rooms edged with aging shrubs. Green Leaves adds a lively plant sale with cuttings and seedlings for gardeners who want a piece of Natchez to take home; Bontura hosts a 4:00 p.m. slide presentation and book signing by camellia historian Wayne Stromeyer—an uncommon opportunity to hear local botanical history framed by archival images and the newly expanded Early Camellias in Louisiana. The experience favors quiet observation: there's no fixed route, so visitors may wander in any order, lingering where fragrance, light, and design invite. Each garden showcases restoration choices - from revived heirloom varieties to reconstructed walkways - that reveal how restoration balances authenticity, climate resilience, and contemporary maintenance. For horticultural travelers, the visible layering of historic plant stock and modern care is the trip's central charm. After the afternoon tour, guests may opt into a Cocktail Party at Twin Oaks (71 Homochitto Street) from 5:00-7:00 p.m., where restored beds anchor a social hour among aging trees and period architecture. The reception crystallizes why garden tours in Natchez are more than aesthetics: they are gatherings where preservationists, plant lovers, and curious visitors compare notes, buy plants, and steward living history. Practical details are straightforward: the Gardens-only ticket is budget-friendly, while the combined ticket includes the presentation and evening reception. Expect gentle walking across lawns and brick paths; wear flat shoes and sun protection. Bring cash or card for plant purchases and Wayne Stromeyer's book if you want a signed copy. Why this matters: Natchez's gardens are part of a concentrated historic landscape culture whose care keeps regional plant varieties and design practices visible to the public. This event is both a celebration and a hands-on way to support local restoration efforts. Whether you arrive for botanical curiosity, regional history, or a convivial southern afternoon, Everything Old Is New Again offers an intimate, richly scented window into how gardens can be renewed without erasing their origins. Plan to reserve tickets early—space is limited and plant sales often sell out. If you can, arrive a half hour before the presentation to catch neighborhood details and chat with volunteers who care for these grounds. For travelers seeking a low-key cultural day, this event is a rare, fragrant highlight.
easy.
3–4 hours.
Light walking on lawns, brick paths, and garden steps; suitable for most fitness levels.
Yes. Gardens may be seen in any order; check the schedule for the 4:00 p.m. slide presentation at Bontura and the 5:00 p.m. reception at Twin Oaks.
The Cocktail Reception is included only with the combined ticket option; Gardens-only tickets do not include the evening event.
Yes — Green Leaves hosts a plant sale offering cuttings, seedlings, and garden-ready plants for purchase.
Yes. Wayne Stromeyer presents at 4:00 p.m. at Bontura and will be available for a book signing and sales afterward.
Ground surfaces include lawns and brick paths which may be uneven; accessibility details beyond that are not specified in the listing.
Bring cash or card for plant purchases and book sales, though card acceptance may vary by vendor.
Natchez's garden culture is tied to the city's long antebellum landscape history and the local tradition of preserving historic properties and plant varieties.
Purchasing plants from the sale supports local restoration; stay on paths and avoid trampling beds to protect fragile restored plantings.
Natchez Pilgrimage Tours is a guided-tour operator based in Natchez, Mississippi, offering curated visits to historic homes, gardens, and city attractions. The operator conducts guided experiences at documented properties and specialty events, including Concord Quarters 1819, Lansdowne 1853, Monmouth 1818, Thomas Staniforth House 1854, White Wings 1833, Myrtle Terrace 1844-1851, Rosalie 1823, Longwood 1860, 1861, Regina Charboneau's Biscuit Cooking Class, and a Natchez City Sightseeing hop-on hop-off double-decker tour. Tours range from a focused forty-five-minute visit at Concord Quarters to extended guided house and garden tours featuring original furnishings, period wallpapers, restored dependencies, and manicured grounds. Interpretive content highlights architectural details, family histories, Civil War connections, and the lives of enslaved African Americans where applicable. Concord Quarters is noted as a freestanding slave dwelling listed on the National Register of Historic Places; Monmouth and Longwood are identified among National Historic Landmarks and preserved sites. The operator coordinates access with property stewards and provides timed experiences, printed materials, and site-specific context to help visitors plan. Visitors may also book a biscuit cooking class taught by Chef Regina Charboneau or explore more than forty city sights on an open-air sightseeing route. Natchez Pilgrimage Tours serves history enthusiasts, architecture lovers, and travelers seeking educational, site-based experiences in Natchez, Mississippi. The organization emphasizes factual interpretation, preservation-minded access, and respectful presentation of complex histories across its portfolio of historic tours and experiences. Schedules and booking information are available through the operator's official channels; advance reservations are recommended for popular seasonal tours and specialty classes online.
Book with Natchez Pilgrimage Tours