Garden description: Shortwood on Stapler is a lush garden filled with seasonal beauty. There are approximately 50 different types of hydrangeas in this compact city garden which are the annual show stoppers. But don’t just let them blind you with their beauty, there are many other types of perennials, annuals and evergreens to see. Starting in the spring there is an abundance of daffodils, alliums, tulips, iris, periwinkle, ajuga, azaleas, and lilacs that grace the garden. When summer arrives so do all the varieties of hydrangeas: brestenburg, magical revolution blue, bloomstruck, forever & ever and endless summer. In addition to all the hydrangeas there are crepe myrtle, butterfly bush, weigelia, black eyed susans, holly, green laceleaf japanese maple, several varieties of hosta and a coral bark japanese maple. In addition, the front window boxing are filled with cascading pink ivy geraniums and there is also a container herb garden in the back yard filled with several types of basil, thyme, mint, sage, parsley and oregano. Continually throughout the year this garden is full of surprises and is nestled on the quaint street of Stapler Place in the Forty Acres community.
Who are the gardeners: I have been creating this garden for the past 20 years with the help of my neighbor and very dear friend Denis Chandler. When Denis moved in he asked me if we could remove the very thorny ivy hedge between the front of our houses and the chain link fence between our houses in the back. Once that happened our gardens evolved together. They are a seamless canvas of plants, flowers and trees. It has been so much fun creating this garden over the years with my friend and the garden has brought each of us so much joy. When we started the project I decided we needed to call it Shortwood because of it’s size and I told him we would one day rival Longwood. Year ago I was reading an issue of Southern Living magazine and saw a gardener down south who had an abundance of hydrangeas and each summer he hosted a hydrangea party to celebrate them. I thought that was a great idea and so not long after that Denis began that same tradition.
Why do you garden: It is a healing and therapeutic hobby that I have come to love over the years. It makes me so happy to look out of my window or walk around my garden and enjoy the beauty of it. And I hope that it inspires others in the neighborhood to created their own garden.
How has gardening impacted you during this time: It has been a HUGE stress reliever during these unsettling months.
What do you have in your garden?See garden description for all the flowers and plants in my garden.
Do you have any problems with disease or pests? If so, how are you dealing with this problem? No.
