Below you will find information about our 2008 Gardens
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Susan and David Deiters
It's hard to imagine that a climbing rose, irises and the terraced bed was all that was there when Susan and David moved into their hilltop home in 1991. Dottie Myers, landscape architect, designed the front and patio gardens in 2003. Kent Richards, gardener, master dry stacker of rock, and good friend, Susie says, "is a constant force in their gardens as he has installed wonderful paths and dug 1,000 holes! I move plants like most folks rearrange furniture. I like everything about gardening, from collecting and buying plants and seeds to deadheading and pruning." Gallery 1 |
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Amy and Ken FigueroaKen and Amy have lived in Avondale Estates for 13 years. After making major renovations on their house, three years ago, Kit Eisterholz, landscaper and general contractor, redid the landscaping entirely. "What we like most about gardening is the challenge of making a low maintenance landscape that enhances the beauty and livability of the house. The courtyard has made a small space that was unusable as a 'normal' backyard into an outdoor extension of our indoor spaces. It has become our favorite 'room' of the house," expounds Ken. They have used very basic low maintenance plants such as Sasanqua camellias, wisteria, hydrangeas, rhododendron, gardenias, Japanese maples, creeping fig, hostas, rosemary, juniper, ferns and lariope. There favorite plants are the camellias behind the fountain, the Japanese maples at each end of the courtyard, and the wisteria over the pergola. There is a striking pair of evergreen bushes that flank the entrance to the driveway that have an interesting form with various shades of green and gold. There favorite area is the hardscape/courtyard with the fountain, especially when it is lit up at night. The fountain, full of goldfish, is the focal point of the courtyard. Gallery 1 |
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Peg & David WyseJust after it was created, Peg and David's Garden was on the 2002 Avondale in Bloom Garden Tour. What a treat it is for us to see how the young work in progress has become a well-established garden. A beautiful fountain splashing water into a large shubunkin goldfish pond, full of blooming lotuses and water lilies, is the focal point of the courtyard. Look for the black shubunkin that has survived all the blue heron's forays. The courtyard is a great area for entertaining small gatherings or galas. Pass by the viburnum, through the clematis covered stacked stone gates and cross the footbridge which goes over the swale. Notice how well the swale drains the excess runoff water, as the courtyard is located at the bottom of a hill. Looking to the left, view the garden Peg planted for her late mother, Betty, to see from her bedroom window. It has her mother's favorite lilacs, Knockout roses, American Beauty bush and Betty magnolia tree. Peg remembers "Dad", her husband's late father, Bud Wyse, when her Easter lilies, hawthorn, American Beauty Bush, loropetalum, and Cinnamon fern reap the bounty from his compost bin. Mike Williams designed the main planted areas, the courtyard, swale and fish pond. Ted Manley, Level Construction and an Avondale resident, built the fish pond, gate posts, patio, and footbridge over the swale, with Dave's and Peg's unflagging help. Gallery 1 |
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Roy Smoot, Michael Goettee and Marty Harris"Divide and conquer" is their motto as the homeowners' many talents compliment each other in the creation of their shade gardens. Over the past six years, Marty Harris has filled their flower beds in the front yard with many perennials, bushes and drought-tolerant plants handed down from family, neighbors and friends. Enjoy his summer palette of blue (butterfly bushes), salmon (impatiens), and silver (Dusty Miller) along with his favorite Yucca Tips, Angel Trumpets and Knockout Roses. You will want to rock on their new front porch and listen to the fountain. Roy Smoot saw the backyard as a blank canvas, making pathways leading into "garden rooms". Two dining areas and many oases, including Pan's Grove, provide entertainment, solitude, and relaxation. You can enjoy a pot luck dinner, sit in the soft grass, swing underneath the arbor or warm up by the chiminea. Look for the Red Maple tree, which they brought with them in a small pot, the Dusty Miller and Kimberly Fern. Michael, the hardscape specialist, made a privacy fence and an arbor swing. You can hear the soothing melodies of his wind chimes and bells, collected on his travels, tinkling in the garden. The owners' express their personalities by artfully combining this shade garden with interesting garden art. Whether it is the sun's face on the fence, the colorful lizards and fish peeking from the trees, or Pan's statue outside Michael's studio, all visitors are given a warm, colorful welcome. The stone patio, fountain and path, with improved property drainage, were installed by Gibson Landscaping. The garden was previously on tour in 2004. Gallery 1 |