Historic Garden Week, an annual event sponsored by the Garden Club of Virginia that celebrates nature in private and public garden spaces, returns to Richmond in 2021 on April 20, 21 and 22. The 2020 tour was canceled for only the second time in history, due to the coronavirus pandemic; the other cancellation came during World War II.

Every year, H.J. Holtz & Son helps homeowners prepare for the enthusiastic crowds that take advantage of Historic Garden Week to explore properties typically hidden from view. This year is no different, with two Holtz & Son customers featured on the Hampton Gardens tour, set for Tuesday, April 20.

For Meg and Banks Turner, whose Oak Lane gardens will be open for view, the company painted outdoor furniture, including a wrought-iron table with a blue atlas cedar top that had to be removed before painting could occur. The table was designed by Meg Turner, a landscape architect who has added a custom line of furniture to her residential offerings.

“I’ve tried various painters, but you need to be careful with iron furniture, because it has to wear well,” Turner says. “I have friends who have used [Holtz & Son] and been pleased.”

The table, as well as several pieces manufactured by the John B. Salterini NEVA-RUST company, known for its midcentury wrought-iron outdoor furniture, were sprayed in the Holtz spray room. Careful preparation is essential, Turner notes.

“Iron furniture has to be sand-blasted [to remove existing paint],” Turner says. “Once it’s sand-blasted, it has a 24-hour window before it starts rusting.”

Careful preparation on another Hampton Gardens home – a whole home exterior paint job for the house on Cary Street Road – revealed several problems the owners needed to address.

“[Holtz & Son] found termite damage and a lot of rotted wood,” the homeowner said. “We addressed the termite issue, and they took care of the wood.”

The homeowner has used Holtz & Son before, for interior high-gloss painting, and has already booked the company to come and repaint ceilings, following a change of light fixtures. “[Holtz & Son] is known for their top-quality work around town; they’re great,” she says.

Tickets for Historic Garden Week may be purchased through the Garden Club of Virginia’s website: vagardenweek.org. A limited number of tickets, with assigned entry times, are available this year.