Spring is here at the Carlyle House in Old Town Alexandria

Spring is at its zenith and so are the blossoms at the Carlyle House in Old Town Alexandria.

Julie and I stopped in to tour the gardens and I took a number of pictures. The Carlyle House is a historic piece of Alexandria's colonial heritage and is a must see if you're in Alexandria VA. I personally think the house is a little more impressive than George Washington's Mount Vernon. The tour starts in the basement below the house and explores nearly every room in the finely-crafted and meticulously restored structure. John Carlyle was a contemporary of the likes of George Washington, Lord Fairfax, Henry "Lighthorse" Lee and General Braddock. This house is a key part of Alexandria's colonial heritage and revolutionary past.

The tour starts with a slick-production that explains who John Carlyle was and why he is a person of interest. Paintings, computer-generated scenery and historians provide context and background.  My only regret on this tour was that we had the last tour at 4 pm on a Spring Friday, so the guide seemed to rush us through the house.

The dogwood is Virginia's state flower rocks gently in the spring breezes on the north side of the Carlyle House. This side of the building is surrounded by a wall of brilliant white dogwood blossoms.

These pictures really don't do the blossoms justice but they hopefully they'll inspire you to visit the gardens before spring is gone.

Behind the Carlyle House is a mixture of formal and informal ornamentals, flowers, flowering trees and bushes.

This is a remarkable little enclave found right at the heart of Alexandria. It's just two blocks from the waterfront and only block from King St. and a public parking garage.These photos only touch on the beauty of the gardens at Carlyle. Check out these photos for a close look at the blossoms that are found here.

These are a few of our favorite condos in and near Old Town

• Alexandria House --- spacious, airy condos with enormous balconies and sweeping views of Old Town
• Bearings South --- cute, brick garden style homes on the South End of Old Town
• Canal Place --- Upscale garden-style condominiums on the North side of Old Town Alexandria
• Carlyle Towers --- sleek, modern and convenient to King St. Metro and Old Town
• Chatham Square --- stately, nicely appointed, townhouses with garages in Old Town
• Carlyle Square --- elegant, modern and convenient condominiums
• The Duke at Old Town --- under construction in Old Town
• Porto Vecchio --- at the water's edge on the Potomac between Belle Haven Marina and Old Town
• Port Royal --- affordably priced with a condo fee that includes all utilities in the heart of Old Town
• Prescott --- colonial styled condominiums in Old Town
• Royalton --- sparkling gems atop Whole Foods in Old Town Alexandria
• Torpedo Factory --- stylish condos near the waterfront and King St.
• Washington Square --- Townhouses at Old Town