The garden of Bonnie McCready is the winner of the third annual Garden of the Year competition given by Rock Spring Garden Club for Arlington County residents.  The award was presented to McCready at the club’s June 14th meeting.  A private tour of seven of the gardens entered in this year’s competition was held for club members and guests after the awards announcement.

The horseshoe-shaped area surrounding a birdbath in front of McCready’s house is a highlight of her garden with its interesting variety of flowers and shrubs.  A charming flag stone path with a mix of evergreens, conifers, shrubs and lilies leads to the back garden when a bank of azaleas provides beauty, low-maintenance and erosion control.  A weeping Japanese maple, a dwarf crepe myrtle, and a variety of flowers including tulips, daffodils, phlox, starburst allium, while lilies, golden yarrow and speedy jenny offer eye catching interest in all four seasons.

This year’s competition was judged in May by six judges from the Landscape Design Council which is part of the National Capital Area Garden Clubs, Inc., organization.  The number of submissions was capped at 25 to allow judges ample time to evaluate each garden during the judging.  “We had a fine selection of gardens to choose from that were consistently well-designed and maintained,” says Sallie McHugh who chaired the competition committee.  The judges came away from visiting the various gardens, “ready to return to their own gardens with new ideas,” said one judge.

Second place in the competition went to Deborah Geanuleas’s garden in South Arlington which lies behind an eight-foot ivy covered fence that surrounds the property overlooking Crystal City and the Washington Monument.  On either side of the front walk are two young cherry trees,and nandinas, hollies, grasses, knockout roses and crepe myrtles line the drive.  This property has a wealth of interesting trees including blue spruce, October Glory maple, Chinese fringe tree, red bud, Heritage birch,

gingko, and a 90-year old English yew.  About 600 bulbs offer a show of spring color.

Third place went to the garden of Carol Walsh for creating a castle garden in memory of the homeowner’s mother.  Blooming in this garden starts with pansies and camellias in late winter, and continues with flowering dogwoods, lilacs, azaleas and redbuds in the spring.   A St. Francis statue, sundials, bird baths, a mother/daughter sculpture and celtic crosses decorate the garden.  Colorful and stately feeders are included for hummingbirds and gold finches.  This garden received the National Wildlife’s “Wildlife Sanctuary Award” in 2007.

The Garden of the Year competition was held this year in the spring to take advantage of the lovely spring gardening months.  Rock Spring Garden Club encourages Arlington gardeners to consider entering this event.  It’s not too early to start getting gardens ready for next spring’s competition.

Ann Kelly

Rock Spring Garden Club Publicity