Amherst house, front yard tout unique landscaping features | Local News

At the end of Nicewood Place in the town of Amherst, Patricia Rabine’s front yard is flush with flowers, plants and an array of colorful landscaping instead of the traditional grass lawn look.

With trees all around the heavily wooded, secluded property tucked away off South Main Street, the fenced-in front yard is a labor of love for Rabine, who has poured much work into it over the past two years.

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“This is my solitude place,” Rabine said. “It’s very quiet and peaceful out here.”

Rabine and her husband Curtis, each retired, moved to the home in December 2019 and are its second owners. The roughly 1,300-square-foot house was built in 1993 and has an 18-foot ceiling in the living room with a loft area, she said.



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The Amherst home was built in 1993 on Nicewood Place, a road just off South Main Street.


Justin Faulconer, The News & Advance

“We like modern houses,” Rabine said. “The house is easy to maintain and plus it has the modern architecture that we really like. That’s what caught my husband’s eye.”

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The loft area open to the living room is set up as an office, the master bedroom is on the first floor and a spare bedroom is on the second. A bedroom in the basement has been converted into a quilting studio.

A deck in the back of the house provides scenic views of the woods with deer a common visitor.

“I post pictures of the deer all the time on Facebook,” Rabine said.



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Landscaping features are plentiful at Patricia Rabine’s home in Amherst.


Justin Faulconer


In short distance behind the trees is US 29 Business and the adjoining bypass, its noise somewhat buffered by the wooden topography. The property has a country atmosphere and feels tucked away while also in close proximity to the heart of downtown Amherst.

“That’s what’s so wonderful about it,” Rabine said. “It’s so convenient to everything. And most people don’t know this property is down here.”

The previous owner custom built the home and did much thinking about everything that was needed to fit into a secluded spot in town, she said.

“The only thing we’ve done, we added gutters, but otherwise the house is in pretty good condition,” Rabine said. “We did put a new driveway in and a new walkway, just things you do to a property to make it your own.”



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Creeping Jenny, Patricia Rabine’s favorite type of plant, is in a flower bed in front of her home.


Justin Faulconer, The News & Advance

Fallen trees also are not uncommon, Rabine said, glancing at a big oak that recently was knocked from its perch.

“That just happens when you live in the woods.”

A Nelson County native who grew up in the Freshwater Cove area, moving to Amherst was like a homecoming of sorts after residing in Louisiana for nearly 40 years.

She left Virginia after graduating from Nelson County High School in 1967, entered the Air Force and two years later married her husband who spent his career in the military. While moving to Nebraska in 1969 she learned of the devastation brought by the remnants of Hurricane Camille that summer.



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The home at the end of Nicewood Place in Amherst.


Justin Faulconer, The News & Advance

For 35 years, she also worked as a legal secretary and assistant in a Louisiana law firm before retiring in 2017.

After moving to their current home on Nicewood Place, she spent much time clearing out the weeds from the shady yard, which was problematic for grass to grow.

She collected many rocks from the nearby woods in a wheelbarrow to adorn the garden-like lawn carefully crafted out with mulch. Perennials are plentiful in the lawn, especially since they grow well in the shade, and this fall she will put in Violets and Pansies.

“I like to have an area to change out the flowers in the winter time and I’m really happy to find that Pansies do grow here in the winter,” Rabine said.



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Patricia Rabine and her husband moved to the Amherst home in December 2019.


Justin Faulconer, The News & Advance

Her goal in the countless hours of yard work has been to make it look as attractive as possible.

“I love digging in the dirt,” Rabine said. “Wherever I’ve lived I’ve always made my yard be as pretty as I make it so that when I drive up it’s just a calming feeling … I’m an outside person. I like to be outside all the time.”

Wrapping up her project this year, she said growing plants here is easier than where she lived in Louisiana because of Virginia’s climate and she likes being back near the mountains. The plants and flowers she’s picked up from Lowe’s and several local nurseries.

“We just hit every nursery we hear about,” Rabine said. “I didn’t have a big plan when I started except that I wanted to make it attractive. I’ve never had a landscape plan. I just started putting in things that are appealing to my eye and go from there.”



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The fenced-in yard features various plant assortments.


Justin Faulconer, The News & Advance

Creeping Jenny is her favorite plant and is featured in the lawn. The work she’s put into the project is a good outlet for staying active.

“It’s healthy to dig in the dirt, mentally and physically,” Rabine said. “It makes you feel good all over.”

She now is turning to quilting projects to keep her busy and will keep touching up the lawn.

Jackie Fitzgerald, Rabine’s sister who lives in Gladstone, complimented the extensive work put into the garden.



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The home on Nicewood Place in Amherst has had two owners in 29 years.


Justin Faulconer, The News & Advance

“She put her heart and soul into her work/play,” Fitzgerald said. “Gently placing, with love and care, each flower in its special place. I am so glad she’s back home and making our area beautiful with her southern talents and charms.”

After living in Nebraska, California, Texas, England and Louisiana, Rabine said the couple loves Amherst County where so many people know each other.

“While you know people, it’s not the same familiarity as it is here,” she said of living elsewhere. “I like the community feeling here.”

Looking over her collection of assorted plants and flowers with a hummingbird chirping during a late July evening, Rabine looked at her home with satisfaction.



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Patricia Rabine enjoys looking over her lawn she spent much time sprucing up.


Justin Faulconer, The News & Advance

“There’s always a breeze coming through and I love the way the garden looks with the rays of sun coming through from different directions,” she said. “You can see the way it highlights some of the plants. … We love it back here. It doesn’t seem like you’re in town at all.”

Photos: Amherst house, front yard tout unique landscaping features

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Lantana plants grow on Patricia Rabine’s property.


Justin Faulconer, The News & Advance

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Patricia Rabine looks over a plant in her yard.


Justin Faulconer, The News & Advance

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A welcome sign adorns the front porch.


Justin Faulconer, The News & Advance

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The Amherst home is nearly 1,300 square feet.


Justin Faulconer, The News & Advance

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Since 2020, Patricia Rabine has spent much time working on perfecting her front yard with landscaping.


Justin Faulconer, The News & Advance

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A view of the landscaping.


Justin Faulconer, The News & Advance

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A view of the home in Amherst.


Justin Faulconer, The News & Advance

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A side view of the home.


Justin Faulconer, The News & Advance

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A bench is carved out on the deck.


Justin Faulconer, The News & Advance

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A view of the deck.


Justin Faulconer, The News & Advance

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A view of the home from the deck.


Justin Faulconer, The News & Advance

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A view of the landscaping in Patricia Rabine’s front yard in Amherst.


Justin Faulconer, The News & Advance

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The Amherst home was built in 1993 on Nicewood Place, a road just off South Main Street.


Justin Faulconer, The News & Advance

Home 3.jpg

Landscaping features are plentiful at Patricia Rabine’s home in Amherst.


Justin Faulconer


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Creeping Jenny, Patricia Rabine’s favorite type of plant, is in a flower bed in front of her home.


Justin Faulconer, The News & Advance

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Patricia Rabine and her husband moved to the Amherst home in December 2019.


Justin Faulconer, The News & Advance

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The fenced-in yard features various plant assortments.


Justin Faulconer, The News & Advance

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The home on Nicewood Place in Amherst has had two owners in 29 years.


Justin Faulconer, The News & Advance

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Patricia Rabine enjoys looking over her lawn she spent much time sprucing up.


Justin Faulconer, The News & Advance

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