Madeline Mayhood

Madeline Mayhood is the editor-in-chief of Virginia Living magazine. She has written for many regional and national magazines, including Garden Design, Southern Living, Horticulture, Fine Gardening, and more.

All Posts

Towns

Gordonsville is a Virginia Must-Visit Town in 2025

Plan an unbeatable itinerary by starting early with coffee and a croissant at Jackson & Co., then explore Raindrops in Virginia for handcrafted treasures and Weaver Street Shops for Native American jewelry and vintage quilts. Stop by Verdent, Monica Garrett’s interior design storefront for epic home inspiration. Art lovers will treasure Annie Gould Art Gallery […]

Culture

Trends in Retirement Living: Luxury, Wellness & Community

Mind-boggling monikers practically morph by the month in the retirement living sector, with names like active adult communities, life plan communities, and CCRCs, adding confusion to an already convoluted lexicon. What used to be called old folks’ homes have adapted over time and now offer so much more than housing for people over a certain […]

House + Garden

Inside American Horticultural Society’s Memorial Garden

This is the full list of plants that were installed in the Clara B. Plein Memorial Garden at the American Horticultural Society in Alexandria in 2023. More information can be found on AHSGardening.org. Trees Amalanchier x grandiflora ‘Autumn Brilliance’ – Apple Serviceberry (cultivar) Asimina triloba – Common Pawpaw Cercis canadensis – Eastern Redbud Cornus alternifolia […]

House + Garden

Peggy Singlemann’s List of Undervalued Native Plants

Shrubs: Winterberry holly, Ilex decidua This native shrub is a favorite of mine because of the multi-seasonal interest it provides in our landscapes. I love the red berries in winter and so do the birds and pollinators. With different varieties growing to varying heights, there is a size for every garden and landscape. The plant […]

Culture

Four Pillars of a Successful Retirement

Retirement is meant to be a time of relaxation and enjoyment, but for many seniors, financial worries can overshadow this well-deserved phase of life. From managing savings and handling healthcare costs to preparing for unexpected expenses, effective financial planning is key to achieving peace of mind and security. As you begin to consider the future, […]

Health+Wellness

Test Your Breast Cancer IQ

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting women worldwide, but it remains shrouded in myths and misconceptions that cause confusion and fear. These can distract from proven facts, preventing people from taking steps to reduce their risk or seek timely care. Accuracy is imperative to improving early detection and supporting those impacted […]

Culture

Elder Fraud is an Epidemic

You’re happy, healthy, and about to settle into retirement. Falling for a fraud scheme? No way. You’re way too sharp. You can spot them a mile away. Think again. Take William Webster—as in the William Webster. He and his wife, Linda, came perilously close to falling victim to an elder fraud scheme that began with […]

Culture

Outfitting Your Home in the Digital Age

If aging in your home is a priority, check out AARP’s HomeFit program that reviews ways to make your home über-intelligent. Many new home builds have options for “smart home” features, including virtual assistants like Google Home, Amazon’s Alexa, or Apple’s Siri. These assistants handle many tasks with simple voice commands, such as turning TVs […]

Culture

Booming Questions: Smart Planning is a Baby Boomer’s Must

It’s never too late to plan for retirement might be a cliché, but the hard truth is that Baby Boomers—whether they like it or not—are on deck now and for the next decade. For many of us, retirement is inevitable, and while financial planning is paramount, other considerations need sorting out, too. Where do I […]

Culture

These Virginia Cities are Tops for Retirees

The golden years are about living your best life in ways you prioritize—be it weather, cost of living, or access to amenities like restaurants, golf courses, fitness facilities, and healthcare. With proximity to the mountains and coastline, Virginia is a nature lover’s mecca. And it’s one of the few states that counts Washington, D.C., as […]

Culture

AI Tools Are Here to Stay

Are you someone who thinks AI is just a fad? If the answer is yes, experts like Walid Saad, electrical and computer engineering professor and artificial intelligence expert at Virginia Tech, suggest you reconsider. Saad likens AI today to the Internet of the 1990s: “Its adoption will be inevitable, and we should be well-informed in […]

Food

Behind the Cheese Course at The Inn at Little Washington

I remember my first bite of brie cheese. I was about 8, on a trip abroad with my parents. The extent of my culinary world had been limited up till then—and cheese-wise, a good cheddar was my equivalent of exotic—but once I sunk my teeth into that creamy, luscious wedge, I was hooked. A bona […]

Health+Wellness

Top 5 Breast Cancer Myths Debunked

In our February 2025 issue, we challenged readers with a breast cancer myth-busting quiz, where all the answers were false. Here, we dive deeper into each myth to uncover the truth and empower awareness. Myth #1: All breast cancers are the same. Myth Buster: It’s actually quite complicated, involving many factors like different affected receptors, […]

Pages: 12345678910

Events

May 31, 2025

VHC Health’s Annual Cancer Survivors Day: Celebrating the Strength Within

Virginia

May 31, 2025

Forest Bathing

Woodlawn & Pope-Leighey House

May 31, 2025

Preservation Tours: Lost Buildings of Alexandria-The Waterfront

Carlyle House Historic Park

A New Experience at the Virginia Scenic Railway

Virginia Scenic Railway Adds Dome Car for Spectacular Valley Views The popular Virginia Scenic Railway just upped its game with a vintage dome car offering breathtaking 360° views of the Shenandoah Valley. The “Shenandoah”—built in 1948 as the “Silver Palace” for the California Zephyr—now gives passengers an unmatched vantage point on three-hour excursions from Staunton. […]

by Gabriela de Camargo Gonçalves

The U.S. DOE Labeled These Virginia Schools Outstanding

Eight Virginia schools received the National Blue Ribbon 2024 award for their high performances. The Exemplary High Performing Schools are Spring Hill Elementary in McLean, Green Run Collegiate in Virginia Beach, Bethel Manor Elementary in Hampton, and St. Andrew the Apostle School in Clifton. The Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools are Central Academy Middle […]

by Gabriela de Camargo Gonçalves

Williamsburg Archaeologists Uncover Secret Garden

In Colonial America, a grand garden was the ultimate status symbol—the 18th century equivalent of a Lamborghini. So when archaeologists at Colonial Williamsburg uncovered John Custis IV’s property, they struck horticultural gold: the remains of a football field-sized garden alongside his Jacobean manor house. Custis, a tobacco magnate and Martha Washington’s first father-in-law, went all […]

by Madeline Mayhood

Madeline Mayhood

All Posts

Gordonsville is a Virginia Must-Visit Town in 2025

Current Issue

Events

VHC Health’s Annual Cancer Survivors Day: Celebrating the Strength Within

Forest Bathing

Preservation Tours: Lost Buildings of Alexandria-The Waterfront

Most Popular

A New Experience at the Virginia Scenic Railway

The U.S. DOE Labeled These Virginia Schools Outstanding

Williamsburg Archaeologists Uncover Secret Garden

Madeline Mayhood

All Posts

Gordonsville is a Virginia Must-Visit Town in 2025

Current Issue

Events

VHC Health’s Annual Cancer Survivors Day: Celebrating the Strength Within

Forest Bathing

Preservation Tours: Lost Buildings of Alexandria-The Waterfront

Get our most popularweekly newsletter: VL Today

Most Popular

A New Experience at the Virginia Scenic Railway

The U.S. DOE Labeled These Virginia Schools Outstanding

Williamsburg Archaeologists Uncover Secret Garden

Get our most popularweekly newsletter: VL Today

Get our most popular
weekly newsletter: VL Today

Get our most popular
weekly newsletter: VL Today