Saluda

Jim and I have always liked exploring little towns so we chose the town of Saluda, NC to start our vacation at the end of April. A dear friend had told us it was a wonderful place (thanks Peggy).

The 2000 census has the population of Saluda at 575. It is 35 miles southeast of Asheville and after visiting I think it has an atmosphere unlike any town in the state.

We stayed at an enchanted place called Charles Street Garden. It is a single suite adjacent to the owner’s home (The Hoovers). It is nestled in a magical garden unlike any I’ve ever seen. The driveway is shared with Transfiguration Episcopal Church built in 1889. The steeple of the old church is the only thing you can see past the 225 year old oak tree outside the suite’s bay window.



We parked our car in the little spot reserved for the guests of the suite and walked through the ivy covered arch. You could hear the small fountain bubbling, a light tinkling of wind chimes, and the birds. It really was like entering a secret garden. This is a picture of the entrance to the property from where we parked.



Another ivy covered arch took us to a patio with a porch swing outside the door of the suite.



The suite itself is a nice room with a sitting area facing the bay window and a comfortable sleeping area. A small efficiency kitchen was stocked with teas and coffee. Fresh flowers were arranged next to the open windows and chocolates lay in a little dish on the table for two. Jim's slide show of our vacation shows the suite well.

Within 10 minutes of arriving at Charles Street Garden we both noticed a total sense of peace and relaxation. I’m sensitive to the energy of a space and this was one of the most peaceful places I had ever been.

The “garden” is a whimsical maze of narrow pathways opening occasionally into little outdoor rooms with a chair or two. Throughout the winding paths there are arches and pottery sitting amongst the dense foliage. I felt like a kid exploring this space. It was easy to forget it was in a quiet neighborhood.





We had dinner at a wonderful restaurant called The Purple Onion. I chose the pear salad and Jim the spinach salad with goat cheese. We shared a roasted vegetable pizza with rosemary. The wine was good, the food was superb, and the outdoor dining area comfortable and relaxing.

There were too many magical things about Saluda to write in one blog but some of the highlights were…

Visiting a shop called The Salamander. The owner let me photograph the garden behind his store.



Visiting Pearson Falls nearby (beautiful)



Sitting inside the old Episcopal Church for a moment of prayer (they leave the doors unlocked and the owners of the suite told us we were welcome to go inside). ** See Jim's slide show for a picture inside.



If you ever need to get off the hamster wheel I would recommend Saluda. The owner of The Salamander put it well when he said “there is a good energy here”. I’ve spent a week in places that didn’t leave me feeling as healed and rejuvenated as 36 hours in Saluda.