Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens (Bloemendaal Farm) and Lakeside Area

The Bloemendaal Farm, a property that was once part of Patrick Henry's extensive holdings, was improved from a bicycle clubhouse to a comfortable estate at the turn of the twentieth century by Lewis Ginter's niece, Grace Arents. The rambling, Dutch Colonial–influenced mansion with its gambrel roof is complemented by a complex of outbuildings. The carriage house features a shingled tower, a creative solution to hide a utilitarian water tank. Part of the estate shared a large pond with Lakeside Park, an amusement park accessible from the city by streetcar. The pond survives, and the approach to the house now features one of the most elaborate gardens in the Richmond area. The Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens have an ambitious master plan, and new parts of the complex are constructed every year. Lakeside Avenue, the main artery approaching the Botanical Gardens from the south, passes by neighborhoods of bungalows and Cape Cod colonial houses referred to collectively as Lakeside, one of the few Henrico County areas that has village characteristics.