Woodland Sanctuary

A man with vision joined hands with Mother Nature to create a harmonious garden in the mountains of North Carolina.

Allen Hardin is one determined individual. Over the years, he has built a lovely garden in the middle of the woods. he doesn't go to his vacation home to lie around and rest. His Highlands, North Carolina, getaway is a place where he goes to get his hands in the dirt.

Several years ago, Alien decided to create a woodland garden on an overgrown piece of property on the side of his house. The area was a tangle of blackberry bushes that grew chest high. he pulled and dug the thorny plants until he could see the ground. Then a funny thing happened-native ferns began to spring up and multiply. These feathery-textured perennials soon covered the forest floor.

Adding Definition

Alien's next project was uncovering a large rock formation in the garden. he wanted to remove the 6-inch layer of soil and expose a large section of the gray, layered slab. he soon found out there was little soil but lots of roots gripping the stone. With a shovel and pruning shears, he pried the thick, fibrous mats of roots and vines from the hard surface. It was difficult, time-consuming work, but he enjoyed unveiling the rocks' unique shapes.

As the garden began to take shape, it needed defined walkways. Alien cut trails to weave through the existing rhododendrons and ferns. He spread 125 bags of hardwood mulch on the hillside. With the footprint of the garden set, it was easy to navigate through the once impenetrable woods.

Providing Structure

A water feature installed in the center of the garden looks and sounds like a flowing mountain spring. The stonelined pool has a pump that pushes water to the top of the hill where it then trickles back down the slope and collects in the pool. An oval flagstone patio overlooks the flowing water. A curved wall at the back of the patio is the perfect height for seating. You can sit on the wall, close your eyes, and listen to the water splashing and the wind whispering through the hemlocks.

Putting in Plants

Alien wanted to enhance the hilly slope without taking away from the site's natural beauty. he called on his friends, garden designers Carolyn D. Tynes and Robert Tucker, who helped him decide on the right design and the best plants. Stephen M. Baldwin Landscaping assisted with plant selection and installation.

The team added small, flowering native trees such as red buckeye (Aesculuspavia), silky stewartia (Stewartia malacodendron), fringe tree (Chionanthus virginicus), bottlebrush buckeye (A. parviflora), and American snowbell (Styrax americanus). Other great plants include heart's-a-bustin' (Euonymus americanus), rosebay rhododendron (Rhododendron maximum), native azaleas (R. sp.), and mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia).

Today more than 100 species of indigenous plants live in harmony on this hillside, and Mother Nature would be proud of this wonderful woodland. Alien loves the look and says that gardening here is enjoyable and helps him relax. It's good to know he does a little relaxing at his well-landscaped vacation home.

CHARLIE THIGPEN

Copyright Southern Progress Corporation Jun 2004
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