2009 luxmanor open gardens

Anne and Jeffrey Abend
11518 Cushman Road
Anne is the designer and maintainer of this lovely garden. It is a perpetual work in progress as new plants are added and beds enlarged or reworked. A large part of the garden is in shade but there is a perennial garden and vegetable garden in sunny spots. A large Southern Magnolia is in the front yard. A copse of Virginia Dogwood on the driveway side shades bleeding heart, pulmonaria, brunnera, hosta, hydrangea, eupatorium, and azalea. In back, the island bed is a quiet spot to sit surrounded by columbine, centaurea, astilbe, daylily, begonia grandis (just emerging), lady‟s mantle, hellebore, hosta, itea, ferns, a spring blooming camellia, and hakonechloa grass. These shade elements are repeated in the other shade borders, as well as rhododendrum, viburnum, wood poppy, Japanese anemone, turtlehead, heuchera, Jack in the pulpit, Solomon‟s seal, and toad lily. Sunny beds include roses, geranium, peony, lilies, coreopsis, aster, baptisia, Russian sage, sedum, echinacea, and liatris. Tulip poplars predominate, but a redbud, persimmon, cherry and evergreens are also on the property.
Geri and David Cohen
11506 Cushman Road
Enter garden through gate on left side of house. Follow path to shade Back, front and side gardens have been designed and are maintained by Geri. Lot is on a slope and the garden has been designed to work with the topography. New plants are always being added and beds expanded or changed. This garden has both sunny and shady areas and there is something always in bloom or of interest. At this time of year the extensive hosta and fern collections are especially lovely. There are hundreds of plants, many which are rare or unusual including a large Dawn Redwood (a deciduous conifer). There is also some garden sculpture and small water features. No pesticides are used. The garden is certified by the U.S. Humane Society as a backyard animal refuge. Container gardening is a specialty of Geri‟s as she has professional experience in this area. There are many creative ideas to be found in her mixed use of perennials, annuals, vegetables and tropicals in the numerous pots around her garden and especially on the two level decking.

Carole and Doug Gelfeld
11101 Huntover Drive

Enter rear garden through gate on garage side of house.
For years the Gelfelds dubbed their backyard “mission impossible”. A visit to this garden may encourage others who face problems with steep grades on their property. The backyard was irregularly shaped and had a steep rise of at least 9-10 feet toward the back-most point where there were 5 very old, large maples providing total shade. In 2005 all of the maples died of old age and disease, along with some old pines that had provided screening to the closest house. In 2006 they set about to create a garden that would engage the senses: lovely scents, continuous variegated colors along with the sounds of a small water feature that would attract birds. The steep rise incorporates a layered stone waterfall and an Asian “dry stream”. The surrounding slope was planted with evergreen and deciduous trees and shrubs, aiming for hardy, multi-featured and rabbit/deer resistance. Highlights include a Norwegian Sunset Maple, a Stewartia Koreana, a Red Dissectum Japanese Maple, Purple Sandcherries, Carlessi Viburnum, variegated Wiegelia and “encore” azaleas. Clematis and Eleagnus are espaliered along the fences. There are several flowering vines that attract hummingbirds. While the garden is still young and evolving, clearly it amuses the senses.

Marlene (Leni) and Bill Haffner 11616 Danville Drive

The rose beds in front of the Haffner‟s house are what make this garden unique. Unfortunately the flowers are not in bloom in mid-April and you will have to walk by in June to see and smell the roses. However, Marlene can give you advice and encouragement for growing roses. All of the roses, including 2 new ones, are leafing out well; none were lost over the winter. The Haffner‟s also have a non-traditional front yard that compliments the architecture of the house and a nicely landscaped and inviting rear yard which they will have open this weekend. The side of the house, accessed by walking up the neighbor‟s driveway, is a mixed sun and shade garden. A meandering flag stone path travels through the garden where within are budding rhododendron, laurel, hydrangea, lilac, a lovely red bud pansy tree, hostas, hellebores in full bloom along with many flowering bulbs. Weekends find Leni and Bill in the garden weeding, planting or otherwise

Gail and David Klein
6112 Tilden Lane
Park on Tilden and walk up the long driveway. Follow paths in shade garden in front of house. Enter back gardens from the garage side of the house and follow path from right to left. Paths meander through shade garden in front. Large deciduous trees with numerous shrubs, understory trees, perennials, and bulbs that prosper in shade. Garden includes redbuds, dogwoods, a bottlebrush buckeye, umbrella magnolia (look for very large leaves) azaleas, rhododendrons, Sweetbay Magnolia, ferns, hosta, astilbes, hydrangeas, bleeding hearts, Solomon seals, huechera, and primroses. The sunny island has grasses, lirope, Nandina, Echinacea, Amsonia, daylilies, and peonies. Something is in bloom or provides color throughout the year. The long, narrow back yard has multiple „garden rooms‟ connected by a winding path. There is a large pond with double waterfall, water lilies and other aquatic plants. Shade loving perennials are found in the garden behind the pond and plants that prefer sun are in the rock garden in front of the pond. Shrubs and small trees include multiple Viburnum species, climbing hydrangea, Serviceberry, Itea, Camelia, Clethra, Abelia and many Acuba. There are several hosta and fern beds throughout the garden. Trees of note - Stewartia, Lacebark Pine and Chinese Fringe Tree.

Joe Maloney
11200 Stephalee Lane
Enter garden through the gate on the left. Joe has a unique Asian influenced garden that contains many, many, Chinese artifacts, steles, and statues. There are numerous rooms landscaped with evergreens, perennials, groundcovers and other well selected plants to provide a wonderful setting for his Chinese outdoor sculpture. Garden is entered through a Moon Gate covered in clematis. Joe also has built several stone walls and ponds which provide additional settings for his artifacts. Many of the plants are labeled. Stroll along the stone paths to discovery something at every turn.

Michel Rousset
11118 Whisperwood Lane

You never knew what was behind the fence enclosed front yard of the house
on Whisperwood Lane! Now is your opportunity! The Rousset‟s, original homeowners, have been maintaining and enhancing their garden since 1964, and there is very little space not occupied by plants, paths, or a water feature. The sloping backyard meets up with parkland and has been fenced to protect the garden from our favorite local pest. Brick paths meander through the backyard which has many azaleas and flowering groundcovers. The Virginia Bluebells and Woodland Poppies were spectacular in April but there are others that can be seen now. Plants include American, European and Wild Ginger, Pulmonaria, Anchusa, Solomon Seals, Lamium, and Epimedium. There are several ponds and waterfalls on the paths as you stroll through this garden.

Joan Suwalsky
11325 Marcliff Road
Enter the garden through the gate at the side of the garage. The Suwalsky Garden is divided into several garden rooms with pathways meandering from area to area. It has been designed and is maintained by Joan and Al using no chemicals. Joan bills it as an “Asian cottage garden” that combines conifers and broad-leaf evergreens with colorful perennials and annuals in the summer. Right now there are many bulbs and hellobores in bloom. The garden has oriental statues placed in the beds or along the pathways, many of them personally collected in Korea. There are two fishponds. The garden has a bit more sun than many in the community, enabling the mixing of eastern and western garden styles and plants. A list of evergreens in the garden can be provided.

Source: http://www.luxmanor.org/PDF/Luxmanor%20Garden%20Tour%20May%202010.pdf