For jewelry designer Elizabeth Locke, there's no better way to relax than spending some downtime in the garden. "The greenhouse is the joy of my existence," she told One King's Lane. "If I get home late at night from a long trip, I'll take a flashlight and go see what's in bloom."
Given that degree of dedication, it's hard to believe that Locke and her husband lived on her 100-acre Virginia estate for 30-something years before turning to an architect to design the garden. But creating the perfect space didn't come without its missteps. Case in point: Locke adores Gothic-style greenhouses, but as her British designers didn't foresee Virginia's high summer temperatures, she has to move orchids to a shade house at the height of summer.
And yet, Locke maintains that the effort of maintaining an English-style garden is worth it - and celebrates her blooms with backyard garden parties, too. She hosts a celebration when Asiatic lilies flower in June, followed by a dahlia dinner - complete with rouge mint cocktails - in late summer. Sounds like our kind of party.
Take a tour of Elizabeth's garden below and check out more One King's Lane.
