As we drove through the neighborhood, we saw lots of evidence of folks working in their yards. A few areas are worth noting as works in progress: Check out Cornwall at the corner of Old Post, Spring Lake Terrace at the corner of Farmington, and Parkhill between Farmington and Cornwall. We are excited to see these spaces as they continue to grow and develop.

In the meantime, do you ever feel overwhelmed with landscaping possibilities and don’t know where to begin?  Or maybe you want a clean design that is low maintenance and always looks good? The June 2019 Beauty Spot goes to a home that exemplifies a minimalist approach to landscaping design. Congratulations to Jean Lambert and her brother, Jim Lockwood, of 10007 Boxford Court.

We’ve had our eye on this home for years. It is the epitome the “one and done” design method, utilizing liriope as the singular plant. Along the house, rock beds are enclosed in stacked stone walls, creating textural contrast between the smooth round rocks and the flat stones. There are six evenly spaced variegated liriope along the front bed, and several liriope plants lining the right side of the driveway. Visual interest is added in the front bed with a birdhouse on a post and decorative rocks at the base, and from the Japanese red maple that is visible from the left side of the house.

Sometimes, the simplest approach has the strongest impact. 

Stop by and see this yard: How can you incorporate minimalism into your landscaping design?

Respectfully submitted,

Jennifer Judelsohn

Joyce Skoglund

Country Hills Garden Club

Driving through Country Club Hills, there is no doubt that Spring is in bloom: the azaleas are bursting with a plethora of flowers, dogwoods are starting to flower in shades of pink, and there is lots of color all around! And when you see neighbors out working in their yards, you know it’s time for this year’s Beauty Spot awards to begin.

Congratulations to Yanji Lama and Chad Hurley of 10124 Spring Lake Terrace— we’ve had our eye on your yard for years and are delighted to award you the May 2019 Beauty Spot of the Month! 

We especially love the plantings on the hill on the left side of the walkway. There is a large evergreen that anchors the upper left corner of the bed. The rest of the hill is an assortment of perennials interspersed among white quartz stones, giving the appearance that the plantings all grew there on their own, in a very natural, organic manner. Clumps of garlic chive, blooming with purple flowers, sway in the breeze along with the ornamental grass at the top of the hill. There are native geraniums, lambs ear, sedum (both as a mounding plant and another variety as a ground cover), and creeping jenny.

In the bed to the right of the walkway, in front of the house, a metal container is planted with some vegetable, and there’s a whiskey barrel full of strawberry plants. A beautiful fuschia azalea is in bloom, and there are plantings of daylilies, variegated hostas, sedum, astilbe, and variegated liriope.

To add further interest, there are decorative pots with japanese painted fern, cactus, and annuals.

A stepping stone at the bottom of the hill on the left reads, “The Earth Laughs in Flowers.” This little stone hints at the magic that happens every year in this yard. Keep watch for the mass of delicate pink flowers that bloom later in May. It is a wonderful surprise and delight for the eyes.

Stop by and see this beautiful yard!

Respectfully submitted,

Jennifer Judelsohn

Joyce Skoglund

Country Hills Garden Club

The Country Hills Garden Club is pleased to honor Joyce and Len Skoglund’s landscape at 3415 Country Hill Drive as the November, 2018 Beauty Spot of the Month. As a Gardening Consultant, Joyce is familiar with the elements of good landscape design and the plants compatible with Virginia soil and climate. The Skoglunds have used this knowledge to create spectacular year-round views of flowers and foliage outside their windows.

At the end of the growing season, curving garden beds bordering house walls and walkways feature dramatic differences between plant forms and textures. Prickly needles of upright cactus and conifers are juxtaposed with delicate arching fern fronds.  Symmetrical evergreens overlook shape-shifting ornamental grass. Silvery green sword-like blades of iris and yucca contrast sharply with dark green, oval leaves of camellia and azalea.

Nighttime chills followed by daylight warm-ups bring the panoply of autumn color to the yard. Dogwoods with ruby red leaves shimmering on gracefully posed limbs lure visitors nearer for a close look at garden accents and seasonal transformations. Arbor arches and yard art harmonize with natural shapes and shades. Reddish-purple pods hang from a hyacinth bean vine. Gold-brushed leaves glow on a witch hazel shrub. Bronzed florets crown sedum stems and Joe-Pye Weed stalks.  Yellow and copper chrysanthemums, ornamental cabbages, and pied pansies will brighten urns and borders through the Thanksgiving holiday.

Does this striking landscape inspire you to consider adding something new to your garden? It’s not too late to display a fall-themed wreath or to plant spring-flowering bulbs!

Respectfully submitted,

Anita Johnson

The Pumpkin

BY JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER

Oh, greenly and fair in the lands of the sun,
The vines of the gourd and the rich melon run,
And the rock and the tree and the cottage enfold,
With broad leaves all greenness and blossoms all gold,…

The Country Hills Garden Club has chosen Susan and David Pepin’s unique yard at 3413 Park Hill Place as the October, 2018 Beauty Spot of the Month. A change of seasons makes an exciting show at this address. Throughout the summer, holly and azalea shrubs along the house walls provided a verdant green backdrop to lavender and pink floral sprays filling blue containers. Although September’s weekly rains have strengthened stems and coaxed new growth, harbingers of the fall harvest season are the main attractions of this October garden. Mother Nature has applied bold brush strokes from her rich autumn palette. Dogwood leaves are edged claret red. Branches of a stately spruce tree are laden with glossy green needles and umber cones. Orange ribbed pumpkins and yellow star-shaped flowers peek from a tree skirt of curling vines and leaves. Susan claims she does little to nurture the prolific “Pepin Pumpkin Patch.” She credits luck with favorable soil and weather. Whatever the charm for garden success, this colorful yard puts us in the mood for family fun at Oktoberfests and Halloween celebrations!

Respectfully submitted,

Anita Johnson and Joyce Skoglund
Country Hills Garden Club

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