Visit Afton Villa (When the Azaleas Are in Bloom)

This is, in our estimation, one in a list of thirty marvelous places, flavors, events, and experiences that anyone who lives in—or loves—our part of the world should experience at least once in his or her lifetime.

Louisiana is famous for the beauty of its natural landscapes. But as anyone who’s swung a spade here knows, the riotous abundance brought forth by our rain, warmth, and fertile soil makes this tough terrain to tame, let alone maintain. So it’s worth considering the vision and effort required to keep a garden spectacular for over a century and a half. The tale of Afton Villa is the story of the succession of people who have owned and loved it for 150 years. All have contributed to its beauty and left something of themselves—their vision, hopes, sorrows, joys, and tragedies. It is this intermingling of joy and sadness that gives the 250 acres of Afton Villa an ethereal beauty. You feel it at the neo-Gothic gatehouse and through the cathedral-like archway of live oaks that line the winding avenue. You feel it drifting among the fifty-thousand-plus daffodils that color the hillsides yellow in early spring. And you feel it springing eternal from between the crumbling stones of its Ruins Garden, which blooms amid the foundations of the original mansion. The villa itself was destroyed by fire in 1963; only the gardens remain.

Open in spring and fall, Afton Villa will open again on October 1. 9 am–5 pm daily. 9047 Highway 61, St. Francisville, La. (225) 635-6773 or aftonvilla.com.