The Oak Garden
Meet the Garden
Our house was built in 1997 and we moved in December 2015.
The bones of the landscape were pretty good when we bought the house but, as with many houses, as plantings grew, they became too big for the space and had to be replaced. When we moved in, the front yard consisted primarily of two big, old oak trees and the foundation plantings that are still here. The roots of the oak on the right (seen in the picture below) had started to undermine the foundation of the house (planted too close) so we took it out and replaced it with the Chinese Fringe tree you see now. We expanded that bed, edged it with brick and added roses and gardenias with a couple small hydrangeas in the back (hiding from the deer).
The Chinese Fringe tree is covered with white “fringy” white blossoms for about a week in the spring – hopefully it’s the week you’re here but I included a picture in case it’s not! The oak on the left is fine but you will see the ginormous magnolia behind it, which is too big for that space and will probably be the next to go, but I really hate to cut it and we think it may be holding up the hill! We landscaped this area with boulders, ferns, azaleas and other natives. Gardens are living creations so must continually be touched and changed to maximize their potential. It’s an ongoing project that keeps us busy and entertained. I hope you enjoy your visit!