Friends of Hilltop Arboretum
2009 SPRING GARDEN TOUR
~Begins April 26~
Mark your calendars for one of Hilltop’s most popular events! Mary Johnson (Garden Tour Chairman) and Sandra Fox (Garden Tour Co-Chairman), have planned an exciting series of garden tours including the historic downtown neighborhoods of Beauregard Town and the Garden District, White Oak Landing and a bonus tour on Dalyrmple Drive. If you enjoy bicycling you won’t want to miss the tour of downtown neighborhoods where you can opt to take a bicycle tour of the gardens sponsored by Baton Rouge Advocate for Safe Streets (B.R.A.S.S.).
Cycling…A New Dimension for Spring Garden Tours
The first of the 2009 Spring Garden Tours on April 26 in historic downtown Baton Rouge will have a new twist – some of the participants will visit the tour homes ON BICYCLE! That’s right, Hilltop Arboretum is teaming up with Baton Rouge Advocates for Safe Streets (B.R.A.S.S.) to add a new, rolling, dimension to the tour.
If you are a cyclist, the tour starts at Lafayette Park at 10:00 a.m. (registration at 9:30), and cyclists will get a head start on the motorists. The event will start with an overview of basic cycling safety, hand and voice signals, followed by a warm-up ride around historic downtown Baton Rouge. At noon, the cyclists will begin touring the gardens, and, depending on the final route, BRASS will establish a bike “corral” where bikes can stashed safely and some of the closer homes can be visited on foot. After the tour is completed, cyclists will return to Lafayette Park to partake of some refreshments.
The tour is $20 for cyclists; proceeds from this special first tour will benefit Hilltop and B.R.A.S.S., so come by bike and help us launch the 2009 Hilltop Arboretum Garden Tour Series!
TOUR I
Sunday, April 26 ~ 1:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Erin and Claude F. Reynaud
257 Napoleon
Designed and crafted by Newton Landscape Group, this walled garden and pool area are nestled in Baton Rouge's historic Beauregard Town. Serving to join the Reynaud's adjacent homes, this garden creates an intimate entrance area off of Louisiana Avenue and expands to the plunge pool and guesthouse beyond. The design features a combination of rich materials -- stucco, brick, and flagstone -- layered to create a refined sense of space. A restrained plant palette provides a sense of continuity throughout the garden and year-round interest for owner and visitor alike.
Turner-Purdin Garden
630 Louisiana Avenue
This landscape is actually a connected series of small garden rooms related to a group of houses in a historic neighborhood, Beauregard Town. The half block on Louisiana Avenue was designed by Turner as a way of promoting a sense of community among the residents in the houses adjacent to her family’s. The Turner-Purdin home includes a tiny entry garden of camellias, and a back courtyard and conservatory. Other garden rooms beyond include a small circular shade garden, a potager and greenhouse, a rose garden, and a woodland. A series of paths connect these commons or shared garden spaces in the interior of the block to the other residences. The plantings along Louisiana Avenue reflect the kinds of “old-fashioned flowers” that were popular at the time these houses were built—that is, the latter half of the 19th, and first quarter of the 20th centuries.
Michael Hudson and Rachel Courville
801 America Street
The house, built in 1905, is located on the corner of America Street and St. Joseph. The many features of the old 4 bedroom shot gun house are preserved while modern amenities including slate floors and recessed lighting enhance its historical beauty. The sunlit yard is small but abundant with flowering plants and fruit trees. Brick walls define the perimeter which is overflowing with petunias, vinca, iris, impatiens and a variety of roses. Hanging baskets of ferns and flowers create privacy and beauty for the front porch. The backyard, surrounded with a 9’ privacy fence, has a deck with climbing roses, Swedish ivy, gingers and flowering plants. This garden represents an excellent example of maximizing space and creating privacy.
Judy Purlee-Foust
145 St. Joseph Street
The Purlee-Foust house was originally built as a double shotgun house in the early 20th century. It was extensively renovated in 2002. A picket fence encloses a small garden shaded by crape myrtles and a Japanese magnolia. St. Francis welcomes birds and other neighborhood creatures who are drawn to the bubbling fountain in the sugar kettle; a garden bench rests amid succulents, ferns and azaleas. A variety of potted plants are clustered on the steps, front porch and walkways along the sides of the house where other tropical plants grow in profusion. The owner calls her home “My special piece of heaven. It is a sanctuary of rest as well as a gathering place for friends. My porch swing is the perfect place to sit and watch the interesting life of Beauregard Town. Of all the places I have lived, this is the best”.
Chris Nichols
152 St. Joseph Street
 Chris Nichols describes her home as Cottage Style, Romantic Mode. It was built in 1840 and was best known as “The Cat Ladyʼs House”. The cats are gone but friends and neighbors are welcome to sit on the front porch and enjoy a variety of perennials and annuals that attract birds, butterflies and the occasional possum. The corner lot is enclosed by a custom designed wrought iron fence. A good sized oak was transplanted to the front yard to give the home more of a Louisiana flavor.
Chris says that there is little that is formal in the neighborhood. Today the gardens reflect the Bohemian attitude that one must have to live in what can be described as “Mayberry, USA”. One of the neighborhoodʼs favorite pastimes is sharing plants. Another is visiting which is why many front porches have lamps that are lit to encourage visitors in the evening.
Karen and Todd Yount
217 Napoleon Street
Space is very limited downtown so having a cozy useable courtyard was important to the Younts. They love the look of tropical gardens and tried to create that feeling by using palms, gingers, philodendrons, bamboo, bananas and elephant ears as well as an orange tree and a papaya. To create an established look old brick was used and most of the plants are in pots. They are recyclers and junk is an important part of the courtyard. The fountain is made from an old newel post, galvanized buckets and framed with colorful wine bottles. There are rusty tools, old windows, a glider from the 50s and a section of old iron fencing decorating the space.
The front area is also small and has a mix of plants that are low maintenance. Except for the river birch, almost everything else is new. The catalpa tree came from Wisconsin, the sweet olive was planted for fragrance and lantana and bougainvillea were added for color.
Hickerson/Parker Garden
140 St. Joseph Street
This bungalow on a small lot in downtown Baton Rouge illustrates the challenges and charms of gardening on a small scale. The frame of this garden is made of permanent structures and focuses on repetition of form. The square shaped garden and fountain is repeated in the sidewalk pavers, iron work and terracotta pots. Permanent plantings of traditional modern varieties make up a small part of this garden. The rest of the garden is constantly evolving by experimenting with different types of annuals and perennials and trying garden trends. This spring the focus is on the mixing of color and edibles.
Vicki and Dennis Swain
803 Camellia Street
The Swain house reportedly was, at one time, a one room neighborhood school in the Garden District. The house and garden are reminiscent of an Acadian style rustic cottage with a Southwest influence. Many eclectic and antique items from the owners’ many travels can be found incorporated in the garden along with whimsical art as well as stained glass items created by Vicki. Featured are a spa pool, Koi pond, and an outdoor stucco fireplace enclosed by a wooden fence hand built by Dennis. The Swains’ love of gardening is evident by the profusion and variety of plants and flowers that fill the small but well planned landscape. The garage/workshop/mini museum of Harley memorabilia and home of Dennisʼ own Harley Davidson motorcycle adjoins the garden.
TOUR II
Sunday, May 17 ~ 1:00 – 5:00 p.m.
20 White Oak Landing
Twenty White Oak Landing is a private street developed over 20 years ago. Homes boast lots of an acre or more and all residents have access to a 40-acre lake stocked with bass, catfish, bream and white perch. Known for its towering trees, almost every home in the subdivision lost a substantial number of trees due to Gustav in 2008. For the past several months, neighbors on this street have dealt with the challenges of having their yards transformed from shady woodlands into sunny landscapes overnight.
Rita and Vern Hartdegen
18824 Lake Harbour Avenue
The Hartdegen’s home, built in 1992, sits on an expansive lot with a natural woody landscape, made scarcer after Gustav claimed 20 trees. Beds were refreshed with camellias, azaleas and variegated gingers. Ever-blooming knock-out roses, bougainvillea and sweet olive combine with assorted pots of colorful annuals provide a fragrant side entry to the kitchen. The Hartdegen’s six children have blessed them with 11 grandchildren, consequently there is always a place to romp and play in the yard. A rock gravel walkway leads to the swing set and utility area. The front side courtyard features a brick and stone water fountain and goldfish pond with a bronze sculpture of a child. Following the backyard is a gentle slope to the lake, including a series of five gradually descending ponds, featured previously on the Tour of Ponds. The ponds house water lilies, bog plants and other tropical vegetation such as elephant ears, colaris, thalia and foxtail asparagus fern. A Japanese style gazebo provides a perfect vista overlooking the scenic lake. Cashmere bouquet, a small cutting gift from Vern’s mother several years ago, has proven to be so robust it now borders the side yard, blooming prolifically all spring and summer.
Sandra and Jimmy Fox
18825 Lake Harbour Avenue
This formal, yet comfortable garden is the perfect compliment to the Country French home which was built in 1992. Spiral juniper punctuates the front brick walk and a bed of knock-out roses surrounded by azaleas greets visitors. A charming “garden in a bench” perches on the front porch near an antique but functional umbrella stand. Gustav damage, causing the demise of several trees, paved way to a new secret garden path behind the ornamental brick wall where Sandra tends to her antique roses “Souvenir de la Malmaison,” nun’s orchid and ground orchids. An heirloom birdbath given to Sandra by her mother many years ago was damaged in the storm but later salvaged and now hosts greenery and seasonal color. A geometrical boxwood hedge houses an ornamental water fountain leading to a brick pathway. Vibrant Chinese wisteria drapes the side wall and an aged cypress wood fence provides just the backdrop for the seating under a gazebo where guests can enjoy viewing a shaded woodland park.
Carol and Gary Terhaar
18814 Lake Harbour Avenue
The woodland setting offers bits of seasonal color and highlights the owners’ love of sculpture and art. A rock garden providing beauty as well as drainage runs adjacent to the front walkway and is home to a well-weathered hand-made alligator crafted from rail-road ties made by Mr. Melker of Baton Rouge. Azaleas, camellias and aspidistra are tucked in among beds throughout the yard. Tree losses gave way to a new project in the back yard where newly-installed flagstone paths draw attention to a rolling water pond where Koi and goldfish can be seen nestled among the blooming tropical water lily stems. An artificial owl and netting placed over the Koi pond helps keep a hungry heron at bay.
Cookie and Kerry Uffman
18732 Lake Harbour Avenue
One of the first homes built on the street, this yard is known for the continual splashes of color the owners provide year-round in beds and pots throughout the property. The large wide brick front porch surrounded by azaleas, gardenias and camellias is always festooned with pots of annual color. The side yard features an inviting spiritual garden where angel statuary, a St. Francis statue, bird feeders and dainty annuals help onlookers feel as if they are experiencing a garden from the Victorian era.
The backyard features an expansive back porch where tiered decking slopes down the rolling green yard. A gazebo, featuring a self-contained outdoor kitchen, looks out over a raised rose bed and offers a most peaceful view of the lake.
Diane and Jerry McKernan
18722 Lake Harbour Avenue
In this expansive 5-acre lot, homeowners lost 41 trees including towering large pine and magnolias which led to dramatic changes in both the front and back yards. Border grass, azaleas and camellias refreshed the front yard and Diane McKernan visited an Amite nursery to hand-select the mature crape myrtle and live oak trees that now adorn the front yard. The back yard features tiered lush plantings of tropicals as well as indigo, agapanthus, and ferns of every variety that lull the eye as you gaze at the serene lake view. The home, built in 1991, has undergone major expansion since then and two majestic outdoor rooms leading from great rooms in the house offer ample area for entertaining families and guests. McKernan grandchildren are entertained with the outdoor basketball court, trampoline and boats near the lake providing intergenerational enjoyment for the family.
Toni and Cary Goss
18733 Lake Harbour Avenue
Your attention is commanded as your eyes move toward the front yard and entry of this home built in 2005. Featuring a large outdoor lighted fountain reminiscent of a European square, a variety of juniper line walkways and fill pots, accentuating the limestone front steps and porch. Toni Goss’s passion has been to develop her backyard into a woodlands sanctuary by carefully selecting native trees and plants. With the assistance of Jimmy Culpepper, she has selected paws paws, native azaleas, strawberry and anise bushes and a variety of oaks, elms, magnolias and pines.
The back patio continues the old-world theme with Dawn redwoods intrinsically placed throughout the large open outdoor squares. A small meditation garden just off the large outdoor kitchen provides a vista for viewing an array of young, but very handsome native trees situated in the park-like setting. The outdoor kitchen provides the perfect setting for the on-site Hilltop plant and gift items, as well as refreshments.
SPRING GARDEN “BONUS” TOUR
Sunday, JUNE 14 ~ 1:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Li and Charlie Ton
3131 Dalrymple Drive
When you enter the garden at the rear of the Ton’s home on Dalrymple Drive there is a wonderful view of University Lake which stretches expansively in front of the property. Then on the right there is a an impressive waterfall cascading into the pool. Small garden rooms are surrounded by brick pathways. A small bridge over an extension of the pool leads to a hidden pathway behind the waterfall. The hidden pathway is edged with shade lovers - ferns, ligularia, gingers, grasses and shrubbery. As the area becomes sunnier, there are plantings of flowering annuals surrounding the Path. The whole area is elevated above the lawn which slopes down to the lake where egrets can often be seen.
Garden Tour tickets for both spring tours and the bonus garden are $35 (… $30 if purchased in advance) and will be available in early April. Tickets for individual tour dates are $20. |