A Garden With a Love Story
Over 23 years, a North Carolina couple has created an inviting, magical garden that harmonizes with its woodland setting
Some gardens have a story to tell, and some are so highly personal
that they are extensions of those who create them. Other gardens seem to
work in concert with Mother Nature, where the human hand takes a back
seat to the seasonal symphonies she chooses to orchestrate. Rarely,
though, do all three types converge into one garden space. Such is a
garden called MapleWalk, created by Lib Jones and Tom Nunnenkamp.
MapleWalk, in suburban Charlotte, North Carolina, weaves together
unspoiled woodland beauty, an outstanding collection of trees and
shrubs, and a bit of whimsy.
I visited MapleWalk recently on a crisp fall day. The low autumnal sun backlit the Japanese maples in an almost mystical way. Tom and Lib shared their story — one of romance, love of the land and passion for creating a beautiful space. The story was as interesting as the garden itself.
Let’s take a tour of MapleWalk.
I visited MapleWalk recently on a crisp fall day. The low autumnal sun backlit the Japanese maples in an almost mystical way. Tom and Lib shared their story — one of romance, love of the land and passion for creating a beautiful space. The story was as interesting as the garden itself.
Let’s take a tour of MapleWalk.
Tom and Lib bought their house in
1990. In true gardener fashion, they shopped for a yard with garden
potential; a suitable house was second priority. They admit that they
were typical Southern gardeners, growing azaleas and boxwood outdoors
and African violets indoors. Even today, MapleWalk subtly shows its
Southern charm, with an outstanding collection of camellias, azaleas and
crape myrtles. But MapleWalk is so much more.
The garden covers two and a
quarter acres, previously three separate parcels. The second parcel
became a study in patience as the previous owner held out for several
years before agreeing to sell. The third parcel contained a home and was
purchased for Lib’s late father. Today the home is rented with the
understanding that Tom and Lib have free rein in the garden.
The second parcel, shown here, was completely covered in wisteria and poison ivy when purchased. Tom and Lib meticulously removed the vines over many weekends. They discovered piles of construction rubble underneath.
They removed more than 100 trees, had the remaining canopy raised to introduce more light, and brought in more than 40 tons of boulders. They discovered a 28-foot grade change from front to back.
Then they planted their garden.
The second parcel, shown here, was completely covered in wisteria and poison ivy when purchased. Tom and Lib meticulously removed the vines over many weekends. They discovered piles of construction rubble underneath.
They removed more than 100 trees, had the remaining canopy raised to introduce more light, and brought in more than 40 tons of boulders. They discovered a 28-foot grade change from front to back.
Then they planted their garden.
Tom and Lib received this Japanese maple (Acer palmatum dissectum ‘Red Dragon’, zones 5 to 8) as a wedding gift. Here the magic begins.
The tree still resides in their front yard. Several years ago a large limb fell across it during a storm, effectively breaking the tree in half. Tom took this as an opportunity to delve into the art of pruning. To this day, Lib refers to her husband as “The Happy Pruner.” Tom admits that, in his mind, good form takes precedence over color.
MapleWalk is home to 92 different Japanese maple cultivars as well as more than 50 conifers, 27 types of dogwoods and nine varieties of redbuds.
The tree still resides in their front yard. Several years ago a large limb fell across it during a storm, effectively breaking the tree in half. Tom took this as an opportunity to delve into the art of pruning. To this day, Lib refers to her husband as “The Happy Pruner.” Tom admits that, in his mind, good form takes precedence over color.
MapleWalk is home to 92 different Japanese maple cultivars as well as more than 50 conifers, 27 types of dogwoods and nine varieties of redbuds.
The hosta path, near the entrance
to the garden, boasts spectacular views overlooking the ravine. It was a
treat to see a garden that celebrates the layers of woodland canopy and
understory.
This little guy clings to the
handrail made of tree branches. He is a testament to the subtle whimsy
of MapleWalk and its owners.
Frequently the true beauty of a
garden is found in its serendipitous details. Here autumn flashes its
fleeting beauty in this composition of club moss (Selaginella kraussiana, zones 6 to 10) and full-moon maple (Acer japonicum acontifolium ‘Dancing Peacock’, zones 5 to 8).
These gardeners also use brightly colored pottery to best advantage. This pot holds a weeping Ryusen maple and makes a perfect backdrop for another.
The clear autumn sky creates a perfect foil for this big-leaf magnolia (Magnolia macrophylla, zones 5 to 8), which can boast leaves over 30 inches long.
Another unique tree found on site is this false larch (Pseudolarix amabilis, zones
4 to 8). This deciduous conifer boasts spectacular fall color and
texture. The foliage conjures up images of holiday fireworks.
Lib says that one thing she most anticipates in autumn is her ‘Welch’s Pink’ beautyberry (Callicarpa americana ‘Welch’s Pink’, zones 6 to 8). This rare cultivar of the typical purple-fruited beautyberry is worth the wait.
Almost every quintessential
Southern garden is home to camellias. Tom is experimenting with training
certain camellias for use as ground cover. He explains that some
cultivars such as this fall-blooming Camellia sasanqua ‘Chansonette’ (zones
7 to 10) grow more laterally than vertically. The new growth can be
pinned to the ground until it matures, providing a unique new use for
this traditional Southern favorite.
No true Southern garden would be complete without a crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia sp and cvs, zones 6 to 10). This specimen caught my eye as it seemed to harness and glow with the afternoon sunlight.
More about growing crape myrtles
More about growing crape myrtles
