2005 Arts Festival Events and Dates
Garden Tour •
May 28-30
All around Decatur
Visit 12 of Decatur's most intriguing private
and public gardens.
This year's Garden Tour is dedicated to the life
of Dr. Chester Morse
Tickets are $15 and include admission to day and evening tours, a map and a description of each garden. Tickets may be purchased in advance at:
Intown Hardware
1404 Scott Blvd.
Rue de Leon
131 E. Ponce de Leon Ave.
Seventeen Steps
235 Ponce de Leon Place
Smith Ace Hardware
601 E. College Ave.
Tickets may also be purchased during the Arts Festival at the Souvenir Tent.
Daytime Tour
Saturday, May 28 • 10 am-5 pm
Sunday, May 29 • noon-5 pm
Monday, May 30 • 10 am-1 pm
1. Woodlands
932 Scott Blvd., near Clairemont
Paths meander through seven acres filled with more than 30 species of hardwoods and softwoods. The gardens around the house feature shade-loving plants. Native azaleas, tree peonies, astilbes, hostas, and hydrangeas are a few of the plants that may be in bloom. The Decatur Preservation Alliance has developed a master plan to preserve Woodlands as a public garden and the northern anchor of the future greenspace/historic corridor, which will extend the length of the city of Decatur.
2. Melissa and Jerome Walker
343 Hertford Circle
Meandering stone pathways climb up this hillside garden, which has been evolving over a period of three decades. The path, flanked by ferns, Solomon seal, and other shade plants, continues up to the second highest point in DeKalb County. At the top of the hill a teahouse provides a secluded spot to view birds and the surrounding landscape, which includes many old-growth trees. Sunny areas are highlighted by azaleas, daylilies and native perennials. Other native plants, such as mountain laurel, rhododendron, dogwood, oakleaf hydrangea, blueberry, and hemlock, are found throughout the garden. A major renovation of the upper garden, completed in 2002 by Rice and Clemons, features large boulders as well as a dry streambed leading to a waterfall that spills into a small pond. Park along Hertford Circle, Hummingbird Street, or Chelsea Street.
3. Mindy Stombler and Carl Rojas
208 Woodlawn Ave.
Each previous homeowner has been part of the evolution of the garden. Five years ago the front beds were redesigned and they are now filled with perennials and flowering shrubs. In the spring and summer, the garden is filled with daylilies, roses, foxgloves, canterbury bells, blue butterfly scabiosa, hardy geranium, poppies, and helleborus pink lady. Personal touches include the garden stones, which are the work of five-year-old Moey Rojas, and the Shasta daisies that surround the mailbox, which were planted in memory of the homeowners dog, Daisy.
4. Brian and Vicky Bolick
227 Woodlawn Ave.
Its hard to imagine that five years ago the Bolicks backyard was completely overgrown. Through the front gate there is a small fern garden on the left across from the potting shed. An arbor takes you into the backyard, which is divided into an oriental garden, a natural area with pathways around mature hardwoods, and a lawn area surrounded by shrubs and perennials. Mature hardwoods, magnolias, Japanese maples, azaleas, tea olives, and camellias are a few of the highlights of this diverse garden.
5. Terri Jagger
416 Nelson Ferry
The garden transformation of Terris 1936 craftsman bungalow began four-and-a-half years ago. Renovations included a new foundation planting with a mix of evergreens and conifers. The patio serves as a front yard entertaining and dining area and offers a wonderful view of the tree-lined street. Herbs and vegetables planted in an eclectic assortment of vintage containers complete the front garden. In the back a Mexican tiled garden room serves as a transition to the outdoors. French doors open onto a brick patio and offer a view of the 80-foot hemlock and mature oak trees. A recently installed perennial border and fescue lawn complete this partial-shade backyard. In addition to her own garden, Terri designed the neighborhood Unity Garden.
6. Mike and Beth Towers
268 W. Parkwood Rd.
This half-acre garden, which includes several garden rooms, an extensive plant collection and handmade yard art, is a joint effort by Mike and Beth. The first love of the garden is the very large and ancient white oak, which spreads over much of the front yard. In the back, a Japanese-style garden includes a gate, a koi pond, a water-plant pond with a Christine Sibley sculpture fountain, a stream and a waterfall. Another area includes azaleas, a dry streambed, and a black bamboo grove. The gardens are laced with paths and there are several benches. The National Wildlife Federation has designated the yard as a Backyard Wildlife Habitat. Beths many mosaics and Mikes light fixtures on the path add personal touches.
7. Ryan Gainey
129 Emerson Ave.
Ryan Gainey has allowed the public to follow the progress of and enjoy his garden for more than 20 years. His garden has been featured in every major gardening publication in the United States and abroad. Its highlights include distinct garden rooms, a delightful old barn, rose trellises bursting with bloom, elegant statuary, a tree house, and water features.
8. Sherry Siclair
416 Third Ave.
The Siclair garden, which is divided into several different spaces, is funky and eclectic throughout. The inner sanctum is private and tropical with a pond, a large banana tree, a rubber tree, and elephant ears, sedums and perennials in a small bed. It also includes a toilet and bathtub full of impatiens. There is a great annual garden with many old-fashioned favorites including cockscomb, castor bean, cleome, dog fennel, milkweed and other cultivated weeds. This garden is a place for outdoor living and birdwatching. Nightlights, a fountain, two ponds and Lenten roses scattered throughout the garden add to the charm.
9. Brian and Kimberly Zwaagstra
131 Jefferson Place
Brian and Kimberly purchased the property in 2001 and seized the opportunity later that year to extensively restore their grounds into a Garden of Mews. The stonework provides a single sightline from front to back in the narrow but deep city lot. The garden features a rustic log arbor built by the homeowners as a tribute to a 150-year-old founding oak. Also unique to this garden is a massive stone candle altar on the patio and a trellis protecting cedar potting tables. Multiple transitions give the impression of several adjacent gardens. Included is a vegetable garden, a perennial herb garden, and a cutting garden. Plants of interest include the twin bay tree magnolias, the weeping Chinese elm, and the bright green carpet of creeping jenny leading to the arbor. Ultimately, the Garden of Mews has been a garden of muse for the homeowners an exercise in experimentation. To avoid parking problems, please park on the street and not in the homeowners driveway.
10. Stephanie Van Parys and Rob Cleveland
530 Ansley St.
The transformation from 1998s grass-covered lawn to the current 4,500-square-foot organic garden has been profound! The garden now includes a rock wall, no-till vegetable beds, a strawberry patch, perennial and herb borders and beds, cover crops, a chicken coop, a carnivorous plant bog, a tin roof garden shed, and a young orchard. It contains sweet potatoes, soybeans, sarracenia (pitcher plant), blueberries, blackberries, gourds and 10 varieties of tomatoes. Follow the pathways through the vegetable garden to the orchard and chicken coop.
11. Tracy Hollis
223 E. Davis St.
Homeowner Tracy Hollis has created an outdoor atmosphere that is the best of both worlds, with a traditional front yard and nontraditional back patio. The infill house was built in 2001 and the yard, installed in phases, is still a work in progress. The front, with its wide front porch and comfortable wicker chairs, is perfect for lazy summer afternoons. The focal point of the backyard, designed by Ruby Bock of Grace Gardening, is a dry streambed that takes advantage of what could have been a water problem; water running down the driveway is directed into this rock passageway and down to a stand of yellow twig dogwoods that thrives in the moist shade. Other plant material includes Agarista populifolia, ferns and hostas, hydrangea and astilbe. Although the lot is small, it is packed with a diverse and naturalistic landscape.
Evening Tour
Saturday, May 28 only
8-10 pm
1. Sara and Bill Turnipseed
115 Glen Circle
The impetus for the Turnipseed garden came from the addition of a swimming pool. With the help of garden designer Ruby Bock, this garden has seen extensive changes in the last few years. Newly created sweeping borders, which flank two sides of the yard, feature a combination of evergreens, deciduous trees, and shrubs, fronted by an array of whiteblooming flowers for every season. Saras original garden beneath the back porch still has her favorite summer flowers and passalong plants. The magnificent 15-foot Japanese maple located directly behind the house was a gift from a friend. The Charleston-style courtyard garden in the side yard is packed with a variety of shrubs and perennials and two small water features.
2. Mike and Beth Towers
268 W. Parkwood Rd.
Mike and Beths Japanese garden is not to be missed during the day; however, it becomes truly magical at night when the path lights and underwater pond lights create a completely different appearance. In addition to the Japanese lanterns, Beths hand cast garden leaves, which were converted into path light fixtures by Mike, add to the ambiance. One of the stone lanterns is more than 150 years old and originally came from the Kyoto area of Japan.
Garden Tour Committee:
Deena Keeler, Ruby Bock, Catherine Lee, Jim Warren, Laurie Steele, Marris McEdward
Sponsor:
Larry Fossett
|
