In Old Town Alexandria, homeowners of a beautiful historic home built a colonial garden on an adjacent corner lot. They had vision and patience. The lot was home to a 1920’s stucco-covered storefront with eight garage bays, which included a delicatessen and drycleaners. The process of building the garden took three years from start to finish, including Old and Historic Alexandria Board of Architecture Review approval, re-routing utility lines, a grading plan, and an archaeological dig. A re-gilded slate sundial reads “Sic Vita” or “such is life” was originally found outside of London on the wall of a hospital founded by Queen Victoria’s daughter. Black wig apples and Heritage crabapples, cardoons, leeks, cherry tomatoes, chives, red peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, carrots and broccoli all grow in this plentiful garden. Photography by Greg Hadley