If you’ve spent any time wandering Fearrington, you know that our gardens and grounds hold a special kind of magic—one that shifts quietly with the seasons, invites lingering, and feels woven into the very spirit of this place. What you may not know is how deeply rooted that magic is in the imagination of Jenny Fitch, whose vision continues to guide everything our gardeners do today.
When Jenny and RB first began shaping the Village Center, Jenny dreamed of creating gardens that felt both intimate and natural—structured enough to feel intentional, yet soft enough to welcome serendipity. She designed spaces that invited exploration: winding paths, hidden corners, wide lawns, and bursts of color that change month by month.
Her approach was deeply personal; she kept binders filled with notes, sketches, pressed flowers, fabric swatches, and inspiration gathered during their travels. The gardens were never an afterthought—they were foundational to the experience of Fearrington.
That dedication has been recognized far beyond our gates. In 2012, Fearrington received the Relais & Châteaux “Best Garden” Trophy, and in 2018, our gardens were featured in the exquisite Rizzoli book The Art of the Garden—a tremendous honor in the world of hospitality design. We have always cherished these accolades, but what means even more is how you respond to the gardens.
At a Relais & Châteaux meeting in Boston last fall, a presenter demonstrated an AI tool that aggregates the most frequently posted guest images from each property. To our surprise (and delight!), Fearrington’s most-shared images weren’t the Belties… they were the gardens!
It’s a testament to how visitors experience this place—quiet beauty, intentional design, and moments that feel personal and memorable.
With the launch of our updated website, we’ve been leaning more intentionally into telling the stories behind the Village—what inspires us, how things grow and change, and why we do what we do. And now, I’m excited to share that our gardeners are joining the conversation.
Starting this month, they will be writing their own seasonal garden blog, offering a behind-the-scenes look at what’s blooming, what’s being planted, what excites them, and the small details you might otherwise miss. They’ll share tips, observations, favorite plants, things they’re experimenting with, and the rhythms that guide their work through the year.
Here is a link to their first post—a wonderful glimpse into how they see and shape the landscape each day.
If you’d like these posts delivered straight to your inbox, simply sign up for our Gardens Newsletter, and we’ll send each new entry as soon as it’s published. It’s a lovely way to stay connected to this place, especially as the seasons shift.
As always, thank you for exploring our gardens, photographing them, and loving them as much as we do. Jenny’s vision lives on because you continue to notice the beauty she imagined all those years ago.
