From our Gardening Friends...
Comments
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Katherine Gordon
Sep 26 - Sep 28, 2025
Harvest Host Review
We stayed here in late September when the fall wildflowers were in full bloom in their new pollinator garden. Absolutely beautiful! The site was level and there was minimal noise from the road. Our hosts were most welcoming, and I would love to come back another time. -
James Bray
Oct 2 - Oct 3
James’s Harvest Host Review
Beautiful and peaceful area. Perfect for over night to soak it all in. Enjoyed the beautiful sunset under the pergola. Perfect host with excellent  communication. Thank you! -
Oct 13, 2025
Beautiful setting and will be back again , great tour ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️👋❤️👋👋❤️❤️ -
Nov 15, 2025
Garden is about 3 acres and lots of nice features. Hosts were very welcoming. -
Oct 23, 2025
A great location to tour skyline drive! A Peaceful spot with a great view of the mountains and the local cows. We appreciated the kind hosts who took the time to communicate. We enjoyed exploring skyline drive from here. Look forward to coming back to explore the gardens when weather is a bit warmer . -
Oct 26, 2025
Lesley and Tom were exceptional hosts and tour guides, happily sharing their gardens and offering suggestions on local restaurants. -
Nov 7 - Nov 8, 2025
The gardens were beautiful, the mountains views off in the distance, surrounded by farm land and the peace and quiet of the area were wonderful. The hosts were gracious and informative. I highly recommend this spot. -
Harvest Host RV Review
Aug 2 - 3, 2025
Access and parking at this site was easy and level. Wonderful views, and despite being just off the road, very quiet. We took a "self guided tour" of the gardens, which were quite beautiful. We would definitely stay here again if in the area. -
Lesley,
I wanted to drop you a note to tell you what a delight it was to tour your beautiful garden with Tom. Sara and I could have spent weeks in your garden exploring and chatting. We will most definitely be back.
We look forward to spending more time with Tom and meeting you.
Sara and I are in the process of merging two families and finding our forever home. After our tour in your garden, we both looked at each other and just knew that we need to find a home and property to love and plant as you and Tom have.
Thank you for making our special day even more special.
We are looking forward to bringing Sara’s mom there as she is a Master Gardner in Mississippi. We know she will love what you’ve cultivated as much as we did.
Thanks again, -
Ellen Cohen
5 Star
Unbelievable beauty and very interesting. Run by two retired teachers who live there and started the garden from nothing. They do all the work tending the garden and are very knowledgeable, which they are happy to share.
Very reasonable fee for self guided tour, for which they provide a map and information.
Visited on Weekday
No wait -
Karl and I so enjoyed our private tour and talking about how you built your garden over the years.
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Dear Lesley and Tom,
Thank you for sharing your beautiful garden with us this past Sunday. We all agree our time there was one of the highlights of our time in the Shenandoah Valley.
It is a true joy to explore the various garden areas and see the amazing variety and diversity of the plantings.
The many "nooks" invited us to rest and linger. Thank you for the gift you sharded with us and with so many.
Kind regards,
Robbie & Al -
Good Evening Lesley,
I just wanted to thank you for sharing your beautiful garden with my wife and I this afternoon. My wife was in heaven looking at all of your gorgeous flowers and I especially loved the statues and other art pieces scattered through the garden spaces. Your garden is clearly a work of love and devotion!
Regards,
Ted Coley -
Brenden Harris
5 Star
A Hidden Gem in the Shenandoah Mountains
Lesley’s Botanical Garden is a serene treasure nestled in the heart of the Shenandoah Mountains, offering an unforgettable view of the mesa that takes your breath away. The garden is bursting with vibrant life, each corner thoughtfully curated and lovingly cared for.
What truly sets this place apart is Lesley herself—gracious, warm, and incredibly passionate. She makes you feel right at home, sharing stories and knowledge that bring the garden to life.
A peaceful, stunning escape—made even more special by the kind soul behind it.
Visited on -
Tom, I'm in awe of your and Lesley's commitment to conservation, from large landscapes to plant and wildlife species and how you inspire and encourage others through your gardens.
Erin Burch
Alliance for the Shenandoah Valley -
Alvin Beachy
5 Star review on Google
starstarstarstarstar -
Harvest Hosts
Samuel K
Member's first Stay
Spacious and quiet
We had the entire lot for us and could dine with rabbits, birds and even a young earth snake. -
Thank you so much for the opportunity to experience your amazing gardens. We were absolutely inspired and bowled over by what we saw. I can see why folks want repeat visits and of course if we lived here, we would want to see it through the seasons. But I am happy to leave with inspiration and ideas.
From a gardening viewpoint, we were interested in seeing what you had used for mulch in different areas as well as the depth of it.
I loved the variety of plantings, the mix of shade and light, the trees, all the seating arrangements and the whimsy, as well as hearing the buzz of bees at work.
It is clear that keeping the garden is an incredible amount of work and a labor of love.
Thank you for your service to nature!
Laura -
Karl Trautmann
5 Stars
Great visit with Tom.
The property is beautiful, the care, design and hard work are evident.
Highly recommend a visit, no matter what your experience level is as a gardener!
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
Yes -
Adrienne Smiley
Local Guide • 122 reviews • 901 photos
5 star
This place is an absolute treasure. Even though it's early in Spring and things are just starting to bloom, we had an amazing time walking the property.
I bet it's even more stunning in Summer. There are plenty of sitting areas and whimsical features sprinkled throughout the gardens.
The owners were very welcoming and allowed us to do a self-guided tour even though we didn't have an appointment. (We called from the end of the driveway.)
It’s $10 person and worth even penny! I didn't share all my pics, so you can go see for yourself. -
Wendy Torres
5 Star
Amazing garden!
Lesly let us shoot a sweet 15th and even game me ideas on how to make nature confetti without plastic!!
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
Yes -
The Yirenkyis
5 Star What a wonderful experience!
I had a tour with the owner who took time to explain, describe their decisions for the plants and fixtures they placed in the garden.
I understood first hand their selection of native plants and other plants, and the purpose of different land features.
It was a wonderful, priceless experience. This is private land that they show by appointment only. The owners are both so kind and warm. I value the experience and learned so much.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
Yes -
Chris
5 stars
Somehow realized that I never left a Google review. An absolutely gorgeous garden taken care of by some of the kindest, dedicated, and cheerful people I’ve met. The amount of love and care that is shown to these plants is amazing. A must visit location for plant lovers and an outstanding backdrop for proposals. Thank you again for being willing to be a part of our proposal process! -
Thanks again for the wonderful tour. Your gardens are so beautiful. All the different varieties of trees and plants are just spectacular
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Your garden is both beautiful and fascinating.
Thank-you for your warm welcome and sending me off with many ideas and lots of information. I will tell all my gardening friends to come see you too.
I hope everything gets pollinated and is reborn abundantly in the spring!
Sincerely, Becky & Mark -
Marc Bresalier
starstarstarstarstar
Beautiful place to visit.
Owned by a couple who continue to plant and maintain the 3 acres of land.
Considered an agrotourism business. Tour by Lesley was extensive and thorough, answering all questions. She was extremely knowledgeable about all things growing on the property.
Would like to return in spring / summer to see more things in bloom. Tours are very reasonable, just remember it's cash only, by reservation only. It is in a remote area so I would suggest printing out directions in case you lose internet for gps.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
Yes -
Thad Deus
A Harvest Host Guest
The host was very accommodating to our last minute trip.
The location is nice and level. The location is very convenient when we enjoyed being near the farms. There was a nearby wedding that was a little noisy but it didn’t last long and you couldn’t hear it inside the camper. There’s also local shopping nearby in case you forget anything like we did. -
Gail King
starstarstarstarstar
Absolutely gorgeous.
The property is just a few acres, but is packed with a wonderful collection of native plants.
Everything is well kept, and there are areas of special interest, such as shade gardening and small water features.
The owners are very knowledgeable and have a schedule of educational events as well as a sale coordinated with the local garden club.
Make an appointment! They are not open for unexpected visitors.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait -
Paula Radniecki
Oct 12 - Oct 13
Harvest Host Guest
Great boon-dock spot with wonderful view of mountains and nature. Visited the Birdsong Pleasure Gardens the next day and thoroughly enjoyed. My Hosts were gracious and knowledgeable. I would love to return again to camp as well as see the gardens. -
Beautiful garden.
Thank you, Leslie :) -
Harvest Host Guest
Jul 29 - Jul 30
Connie’s Review
beautiful area and nice spot for parking. very patient and Kind
my Dog Drago loved it there. -
Harvest Host Guest
Lesley is the perfect hostess! Touring her fabulous gardens with their secret spaces filled with creative sculptural objects was delightful!
We will certainly return to this scenic site again🏕️. -
Harvest Host Guest
Sep 5 - Sep 6
Lovely views with easy flat access and nice rocking chairs to watch the sunset. Thanks Tom and Lesley - we’ll be back. -
Inspiring place. Very quiet and inspiring place for relaxation. Time passed too quickly. Thanks to our hosts.
Sylvie and Yves (August 12, 2024) -
From a Harvest Host Stay
Endroit paisible
Malheureusement nous n'avons pas eu la chance de rencontrer les propriétaires car il avais un autre engagement . Nous recommandons -
A Harvest Host Guest
I had a rough go coming up to VA.
My Harvest Host Stay here was a blessing. -
Jordyn and Peter
5 Stars
We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to the Birdsong Gardens and appreciated the level of detail provided on the tour with Lesley.
What Lesley and Tom have done with their property is very impressive and inspiring! -
Jordyn and Peter
5 Stars
We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to the Birdsong Gardens and appreciated the level of detail provided... -
Wonderful place!
One of the best gardens in VA….and there are good gardens in VA! …lots of native plants and huge variety of other plants. Tom gave a great informational tour. -
Hi Tom and Lesley,
Wow, what an awesome weekend we had while staying at Birdsong Gardens!
The HH camping site was beautiful, peaceful and quiet while flat and easily accessible. The sunset and sunrise over the Page county mountains were beautiful. The fireflies accentuated the sunset while the birds serenaded us during both.
Lesley’s communication, responsiveness and logistics matched her creativity in garden deaigns which is saying a lot as all were exceptional.
We loved every inch of the gardens, the detailed tour and patience of Tom as he answered a question or two (Ok, a LOT of questions :-) )…. We especially enjoyed the numerous topical conversations with Tom which easily meandered as much as the fabulous paths of the garden.
We have already shared your information with a few people and we will definitely return ourselves. We’ll soon share a few more of the pictures that we took… Until then - thank you for sharing your gardens, hospitality and camping area with us!
Scott & Lisa -
You have received a new review from a Harvest Hosts member!
Hi Lesley,
What a picture perfect spot! Easy access, lovely views and no hassles. Only wish our stay was timed so we could have toured the gardens.
- Pattie B -
As a Harvest Host Guest Great communication, easy parking, and lovely area to stay and drive through. I would absolutely stay again - and make time for the garden tour next time!
- Steph, Kristen, and Buttercup O -
Hidden gem!
Stunning gardens, more than kind and generous hosts, and the place is gorgeous. I’m so impressed -
Kenneth Leach
5 stars...
Beautiful gardens -
Robert Gazzola
Lovely garden! Such diversity. Absolutely worth a visit! -
Incredible gardens, information and views of the valley. If you have appreciation and interest in gardens and nature this would be a great place to visit! In addition, it’s a great place for children to gain appreciation for nature and gardening as well. My 2 year old really loved the flowers, birds frogs and water features!
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Hey Lesley and Tom,
Thank you so much for sharing your gardens and giving us the opportunity to learn and be inspired by your love of plants and their ecosystems.
We had a great time and look forward to coming back!
Warmly,
Josh and Maura -
Thank you for sharing your piece of paradise.
-
Scott Meade
starstarstarstarstar
Beautiful gardens and such an informative tour! Let Lesley tell you bout the birds and the bees and the flowers and the trees!
I left bewildered at the knowledge Lesley has inside her head!
Next visit I'm taking notes!!! -
From a Harvest Host RV Stay
Had a peaceful nights stay with a beautiful mountain view. communication was great and they let me know that there would be another couple there for the night. Location had a nice sized area that was mowed and mostly level alongside s quiet road. I would stay here again.
- Carrie H
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