2008
2008 Garden Tour
Click on the links below to view each garden.
Don't let this city address fool you! A stop at the Kings' cedar-shingled home places you squarely in a woodland garden with the feel of a mountain hideaway. A perennial garden to the right of the front yard features a statue of Hebe, the cupbearer to the gods in Greek mythology, and leads to the welcoming garden in back. Created over three decades by Dene King - who first had to clear the yard of its overgrown muscadine vines and poison ivy - this garden bursts with the plants that Southerners adore: wild azaleas, camellias, Confederate jasmine and hydrangeas. Take time to examine the large wooden arbor built by the couple's son, whose the beautiful creation features a butterfly design in the lattice. And on your way out, you'll find an artful 4-by-18 foot ivy basket, created by Mrs. King, and filled with begonias and impatiens among the many blooming plants.
Just starting a garden of your own? You'll have a kindred spirit in Elsie Owens, who modestly claims to have "a young garden" created "on a shoestring" while putting the education of their children first. Nevertheless, this lovely Charleston garden with its formal design is the work of a gardener with an eye for detail. Entering the garden, don't miss an old concrete pot from Mrs. Owens' family home on Gibbes Court or an exquisite three-paneled section of ivy intertwined on chicken wire that this savvy gardener created on a brick wall. A small area called "Ellie's Garden" is where Mrs. Owens' granddaughter will have an opportunity to develop her family's love for plants and design!
The statue of a serene Egyptian pharaoh leads visitors to the Dial's formal garden, where a fountain feeds into an inviting pool featuring two massive urns that have been in the family for years. A loggia with three arches leads to the pool, just off the family room of the home, and overlooks this beautifully maintained space where Confederate jasmine, hydrangeas and lantana bloom, along with colorful hibiscus and impatiens. At the front of the home's formal entrance, guests are greeted by palm trees, boxwoods and tall Podocarpus. The owner of a garden design company, Mrs. Dial also plans a surprise floral treat at the home's entrance.
Susan Boyd began creating the formal garden for this majestic home
while construction crews still labored on the property. She watered
the trees by hand and nurtured the large boxwoods from her former home
in Wildwood. An iron fence adorned with leaves, the work of a local
artisan, is a magnificent piece of art framing the home and its garden,
which has been lovingly and masterfully designed. A sunny retreat off
the dining room features potted lemon trees that yielded dozens of
refreshing yellow fruits last year. The Boyds' inviting terrace on the
back of the house is perfect for entertaining and the playful romps of
the couple's yellow Labs. "It's just fun to create a new garden," says
Mrs. Boyd, a talented "green" artist who takes pleasure in what she
calls "a garden in progress."
Few gardens have the "wow" factor of this one created by two avid, exceptional gardeners. The couple's decision to "downsize" their home and garden from an estate in Spring Valley to city living meant no reduction in elegance and style. At their Carolina Lowcountry home in Forest Acres, the couple has created a three-tiered, Italianate garden reflecting the Palmetto State's geographic regions - Lowcountry, Midlands and Upcountry. Each garden has distinct personalities. Start in the Upcountry with its annuals and perennials and move on to the Midlands, where the focal points are a central reflection pool and a bronze sculpture - inspired by a graceful ballerina - centered between a pair of sphinxes. The Lowcountry garden bursts with color and lushness throughout the year from the many camellias, azaleas, impatiens, ferns, jasmine and climbing roses. A loggia leading out to the garden gives the couple - and cat Onslow - a spectacular view of an Old-World paradise only a few miles from the state's capital.
No sod, but lots of green. Low maintenance. Sound like your kind of garden? Interior designer Pam James combined ease of care with high style when the couple redesigned their comfortable ranch home. The added space, combined with a porte-cochere that can be used for entertaining and a stylized tower entrance, gave the couple an opportunity to rework their yard and garden. In front, a rock garden is highlighted with swags of colorful plants and a Snow Goose cherry that accents the tower. Enter the backyard through the "moon gate" of an iron arch and step into a charming party place where large, stained and stamped concrete squares and rocks add to the ease-of-care landscape. A deck set off from the house, low stucco walls for guest seating, an intimate Zen garden, a morning deck and palms are just a few of the features of this alternative garden that is a must-see on the tour!
Mature plants and shrubs in the front of this traditional home say Southern warmth and charm. But it's the garden in back of the home where Mrs. Morris displays her gardening flair in luscious container gardens. With splashes of color and style, these gardens in a pot are works of art and design. Don't miss the view of the lake from "the grotto," a family retreat sheltered under a balcony that overlooks the pool. Hydrangeas, cherry blossoms and numerous plants with white blossoms add to the spectacular lushness of this year-round garden. Before leaving, check out, Mrs. Morris' garden station on the side of the garden where container gardens are in varying stages of completion - for a few ideas of your own!
With its six terraces overlooking the lake, this gracious home - the only one in the area bordering the lake and Forest Lake Country Club - is surrounded by woodsy charm. Created with loving detail in the 1950s by the home's original gardener, this expansive yard is so welcoming that you'll want to pull up a chair, regardless of the season, and stay awhile. A massive tea olive hugs the path to a pool, completely hidden from the lake by trees. An elegant Italian spa, completely surrounded by glass walls at one end of the home, gives the family a perfect view of the garden and lake. It adds a 21st-century elegance to a home nestled among graceful camellias, sasanquas, roses, and pine and magnolia trees that took root more than half a century ago.
On guard! Life-size iron soldiers, whose helmets and armor give them the stature of protecting an ancient fortress, add a bit of whimsy to the formal front yard of this gracious brick home that overlooks the lake. Winding along the driveway, visitors are greeted by the gentle splash of a fountain and lush banana and palm trees. Begonias and impatiens give this garden its explosion of color through spring and summer, while crape myrtles, showy cannas and lorapetelum add layers of color to a spacious backyard along the lake. The inviting patio, with more banana trees and green plantings, has a lush, tropical flair! This is the homeowners’ personal park for reflection or parties - and, of course, playtime with their Golden retrievers, Jackson and Tyler.
It's a gallery in a garden! Step across the street from 6205 Eastshore, and you're immediately surrounded by magnificent bronze sculptures of children at play.These beautiful pieces, stunning at night with their special lighting, give this Mediterranean-style home the ambiance of a metropolitan museum. Walk back toward the lake for a splendid view. With its fountain and gazebo, this garden is a wonderful place for summer parties and relaxing evenings. Don't miss the bronze sculpture of a child and horse near the gazebo or the large Mohammad Ali sculpture punching the air in a hidden garden spot on the left side of the house!
Surrounded by water on three sides, this home and garden are an "everyday getaway" for a couple on the go. Willson Powell developed his love for gardening in the South, while wife Karen Brosius found her gardening passion growing up in New York. When they left the Big Apple for Columbia, they found a 1950s-style home in a peaceful watery habitat. The extension of a balcony off the dining room, a side terrace and pool surrounded by white oleander in terra cotta pots add to the tranquil feel of this garden where magnolias, wax myrtles, bald cypress, natural boulders, Algerian ivy and bamboo make this the perfect city retreat for resting, reading and reflection.
From certain angles, it appears that the turquoise pool flows into the lake. The Jacobs' infinity pool clearly sets the stage for the resort-like feel of this city home and garden. It will be all too tempting not to take off your shoes and dip your toes into the pool. A covered "ramada" with lounge chairs and tables gives the couple a place to enjoy expansive views of the lake and their garden. You'll be surprised to learn that the plants, containers and outdoor furniture from this garden can be found locally through Peggy’s "Columbia Notebook" publication. While enjoying tea at this remarkable garden, you'll find it easy to imagine that your Columbia Green ticket sent you on a getaway adventure.
