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These are their Gardens

Garden #1

This home garden in Cary demonstrates how to maximize a 0.25-acre subdivision lot. Out front along the driveway is a row of over100 rose varieties, with accompanying sun-loving plantings throughout the rest of the front yard. But follow the trails to the back and you’ll find a wealth of rare specimens (including hardy palms, a weeping butterfly bush, and carnivorous plants, to name a few), woodland plants, perennials, and much more. Fine sculptures and statuary, bird feeders/houses, and the arbor can be viewed from the deck, as well as from the patio and seating tucked into lovely alcoves. A particular treasure is the fountain under the deck that provides a dark, moist habitat for lush ferns and rare shade-loving plants.

ON-SITE ARTISAN: Marian Campbell makes ceramic and moss sculptures.

Garden #2

This home garden in Southern Raleigh sits on an eight-acre lot, and the front two acres have been turned into a wonderland of trails that thread through the woods and lead to “rooms” featuring plant-filled, color-coded pots (clusters of blue, aqua, yellow and red) and matching seating accommodations. Primarily, the garden provides a “master class” of perennials and shade-loving plants that grow in the Raleigh area, with abundant ferns and many varieties of Japanese maples. Birdbaths and feeders plus sculptures of every description have been tucked into this landscape. At this site you’ll see one of the most magnificent greenhouses in Raleigh; it’s stunningly beautiful and functional!

ON-SITE ARTISAN: Lori Ward, who crafts lovely seasonal and made-to-order wreaths.

Garden #3

The garden space at this Southern Raleigh home brings out the playful spirit in us all. The whimsical adornments are the main attraction—from plate-lined and glove-lined garden beds, to sculptures of repurposed industrial items, totems, a gate with pickets in the shape of lady gardeners all dressed in blue, a bright blue bridge, and so much more. Color abounds, and creativity is the name of the game. Yes, they have marvelous patios, paths that lead through well-tended garden beds, an adorable artist’s retreat, a koi pond, and a glorious patio, but it’s the inventive statuary everywhere that steals the show. Kids and kids-at-heart will love this garden! 

ON-SITE ARTISAN: Delphine Peller, mixed-media artist, whose miniature nature-themed plaques make lovely gifts.

Garden #4

This Southern Raleigh garden has international charm, like the owners, with PAZ (i.e. peace in Spanish) written within the garden entry gate as a testimony to that. The garden abounds with fruit trees—many varieties, some espaliered, but the 30’ fig tree out front that produces bushels of tasty fruit might be the owners' favorite. The front yard has a more formal look, with hedges and grassy areas, while the back is a gourmet cook’s treasured resource for fresh herbs and veggies. In addition, out back you’ll meander around tall, fragrant ginger plants, a row of crepe myrtles with all manner of perennial plants beneath, and many varieties of camellias. There are several types of celosia, a pink-variegated vinca, and many other unique specimens to enjoy. This garden is the owners' play space but also their place of peace!

ON-SITE ARTISAN: Jenny Eggleston paints murals and canvases with patriotic and garden themes.

Garden #5

The owners of this garden have masterfully landscaped and tended their sloping wooded lot in North Raleigh. Over the years they have added some remarkable features to their back yard, from a hand-built playhouse to a meandering stream that leads to a large stone patio and lovely fireplace. They have designed hedges and massed plantings of favorite species to great effect. Their trails lead down to a creek at the bottom of the ravine, with stops along the way that lend themselves to meditation in their Zen Garden, a relaxing rest on the bench swing, or a view of their gazing balls, stone lanterns, and other garden art tucked away. The owners have cleverly terraced areas and amended soils to support a wide diversity of shade-loving plants. The star feature of this garden is the maple tree collection—at 250 and counting!

ON-SITE ARTISAN: Terry Lewis makes beautiful dogwood-adorned vessels.

Garden #6

Inspired by the French countryside of St. Yon, the owners of this North Raleigh property have created an amazing yard in just a few short years. They were married in their backyard garden, and now have two young sons who are taking full advantage of an interactive natural environment. In their fenced-in backyard, the kids enjoy playing in their recreation area complete with water table, sandbox and playhouse, as well as "playing" with their parents in the family's back yard music studio. In their wooded side yard, forest trails for walking and bike riding, a fire pit, and a chicken coop provide outdoor adventure. Throughout the property, the owners have installed raised beds and irrigation—superb accommodations for rocky clay soil. They've added stone sculptures, masses of plants (including scores of caladiums and other bulbs they overwinter indoors), and several arbors, trellises, fountains, and more. Once you see this place, it’ll be easy to understand why they chose to get married in their garden!

ON-SITE ARTISAN: Jenny Faison paints landscapes, portraits, and home murals.

Garden #7

The gardens at this two-acre North Raleigh property fully surround the owners’ lovely home. The yard is enclosed with a tall wrought-iron fence that keeps the deer out, so they’re able to grow lots of hosta and a wide diversity of plants that would otherwise be munched to the ground. Sun-loving plants thrive in wide open-spaces on the gentle-sloping banks that surround their lawn. At the outside edges, a variety of trees create shady areas for those hostas as well as aucuba, pots full of begonias, and other shade-loving plants. In this household, the husband is the master of the hardscape (curved retaining walls, a bridge, drainage culverts, the vegetable garden enclosure, and more); and the wife has the eye for design, both interior and exterior. Her flare for landscape design is obvious from the use of plants that complement the hardscape as well as the variety of sculptures that you’ll find tucked in everywhere. Their beautiful landscape epitomizes the joys of gardening and working together as a couple!

ON-SITE ARTISAN: Mary Jo Stephenson creates recycled ceramic/metal/glass bird feeders and tree jewelry.

Garden #8

This garden in North Raleigh was designed and built from scratch by the homeowners. A few years back their previous garden in another state was featured in a full print spread in Fine Gardening magazine. Ready to create another showpiece garden, the owners imported tons of top-quality soil then chose their favorite plants for color, texture, and pleasure. Front and back, the landscape is manicured and stunning! The two-acre lot now has a fairway (85-yard and 45-yard tee boxes), two sand traps, an artificial putting green, plus a retaining wall, a trellis, an arbor, a porch, a deck, a gazebo, a fire pit, a stone outdoor cooking area, and a pergola! But that's not all, he also created a serpentine, rock-bordered, 65’ creek with four waterfalls, lighting, and surrounded it with lush plants. Artful combinations of bloomers and greenery, sun and shade varieties and a mixture of textures are abundant in the plants chosen for this landscape.

ON-SITE ARTISAN: Cindy Douglas makes lovely moss-scapes for the home and large corporate wall installations.

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