Congratulations to John Auditore and Ted Williams of 5th Street North for their first place garden in Rock Spring Garden Club’s 2013 Garden of the Year.  Their garden provides a feast to the senses. Yearly mulching has created rich, friable black soil about a foot deep and planting thrive in this humus-rich environment. Variety and diversity in the plant mixture of this garden means beautiful blooms almost all year long. Textures and colors and a diversity of habitats counters the sleep slope of the terrain and show off a unique collection of specimen plants, some rarely seen in this region.  the division of plants and their spread across this landscape provides the glue that holds this garden together. Petals and leaves in different hues – green, blues, yellow, whites and reds, delight the eye. Highlights in this garden include 17 different camellias that provide a riot of magnificent blooms in spring and a rock garden, filled with miniature treasures and regional quartzite stones. Plant varieties, hostas, rare peonies and azaleas and an assortment of full sun and shade flowers fill this gem of a garden. Unique and colorful pots are tucked in throughout the garden providing height and interest, and showcase varieties of flora.

l. to r. John Auditore and Ted Williams, First Place Garden winners

Second place winners, Paul and Pam Gibert, on 35th St North recreated their backyard garden from a sloping hill completely covered in invasive ivy into a lovely terraced garden. Two serpentine stone walls within the garden itself separate the garden into lower and upper sections, and a stone stairway follows the right hand border of the garden. The upper section is dotted with yews for year round greenery. Most of the plantings are perennials including Lenten roses, peonies, columbine, bachelor buttons, spiderwort, irises, camissia, foxglove and dahlias. A unique feature is a beautyberry that has been trimmed to look like a miniature tree. the lower section features knockout roses, pia hydrangea, miniature lilac, euphorbia and herbs. Scattered throughout the garden are several types of allium and a selection of annuals.

Our Third place winner are Lynn and Bob Pollock of North Harrison St. Their front yard oasis provides a quiet and tranquil setting pleasantly screened from the street with mature azaleas and shaded by oaks and poplars.  Sitting by the pond allows a person to enjoy the many flowers and plants while the soothing sound of the stream and the frogs gently croaking add to the ambiance of this garden. The garden includes mature oak and poplar trees as well as a pleasing array of azaleas, ferns, astilbe, jack in the pulpit, and other plants provide sprays of color through the year. The stream and pond bring many birds and wildlife to the garden so that sitting near the pond or on the front porch provides wonderful wildlife watching. the shade in this garden means that it is always pleasant to sit and enjoy this hidden garden even in summer.

And kudos to our Honorable Mention to gardener, Meme Shumaker of 26th St. North.  Hers is a relatively new garden.  You’d never know that at first glance.  Apart from a few trees along the driveway, planting started about four years ago. The garden incorporates many native trees, shrubs and perennials. Native trees include river birch, serviceberry, scarlet oak and black gum. The dogwood is Cornus ‘Rutdan’ Celestial, a cross between our native Cornus florida and Cornus kousa. Some native shrubs in the garden are winterberry, red twig dogwood, Arrowwood viburnum, American cranberry bush viburnum and oak leaf hydrangea.  In the front beds many edibles are also used as ornamentals-strawberries, fennel, and sorrel. The back gardens include many native perennials to attract pollinators and a small vegetable and her garden.

These gardens, as well as previous years’ Garden of the Year participants, are a significant part of why Arlington County is truly a beautiful place to live. 

Our next Garden of the Year will commence in early spring 2014.  Follow up here at our website!

Coming off a wonderful Garden Club Year, culminating with the announcement of the winners of our 2013 Garden of the Year program, we would like to take this opportunity to thank our Arlington County Community leaders and Press Corps for supporting our Club’s efforts to encourage us in our continuing beautification and educational efforts.    Thank you especially to Arlington County Parks and Recreation Department, Arlington County Board, Rock Spring Civic Association, friends, neighbors and Arlington’s Sun Gazette Newspaper.  Our monthly educational programs, November Floral Design Event, our Garden of the Year Program, and the continuation of our 40 years of service to Rock Spring Park gain strength from the support of our community and we very much appreciate it.  Thank You, Arlington!

Here’s the link to the Sun Gazette Article, including some great photos! We have much to celebrate!  Enjoy!  http://www.sungazette.net/arlington/news/rock-spring-garden-club-turns-clock-back-to-at-celebration/article_bfa6e9c4-c6c2-11e2-914b-0019bb2963f4.html

Share the beauty of YOUR garden…our your neighbor’s garden – enter Rock Spring Garden Club’s Annual GARDEN OF THE YEAR competition.  All Arlington County gardens are eligible.  For details, just click on Garden of the Year 2013 above.  Garden On!

Please join us on Thursday, March 21, 2013 for our program,  Garden Landscaping and Lighting, presented by Jim Olmos of Vernon Daniels Associates.  Learn from the experts about the techniques and devices used to ‘enlighten’ and enhance your garden beds and paths.  Our business meeting begins at 10 AM, Program at 11 AM, followed by lunch (small donation requested, thanks).   Did you know our club members participate in a monthly floral design challenge?  Come see the beautiful design interpretations.  This month’s design is entitled: Lights! Camera! Action! A Floral Design Interpreting Your Favorite Movie.  Plan to be impressed.

OUR MEETINGS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.  PLEASE RSVP TO  [email protected]  or right here using our ‘contact’ link above.  – HEY! ASK US ABOUT OUR GARDEN CLUB!

Landscaping Problem Solving – “Sustainable Plants Can and Should be Beautiful” –  Adele Ashkar, director, Landscaping Programs at the George Washington University, Harvard University Graduate School of Design. A Master in Landscape Design and a member of American Society of Landscape Architecture.

Our business portion of our meeting runs 10-11AM.  Our speaker begins at 11:00 AM til noon, with lunch to follow. Guests are welcome, with a small fee for lunch. Please RSVP by using our contact button above. Thanks!

ALL THE MEMBERS OF ROCK SPRING GARDEN WISH YOU AND YOURS A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY SEASON AND ALL THE BEST IN THE NEW YEAR!

Tickets are now only available at the Door. Come Early! Doors open at 6:30PM!  It’s going to be a really great show!