Austermann Garden

About

We moved into our home in February of 1979. There was more than a foot of snow on the ground, and we had no real idea of the size or texture of our lot. In the spring what we saw was grass, 100-foot-tall Chinese elms and maple trees, two non-functioning reflecting pools, yards and yards of privet hedge, and a hill that we did not know was ours. Almost all the privet hedge is gone, and the hill is now a natural area. The front yard was redone with new shrubbery, a white ash clump, and a star magnolia. Colorful porch pots with red and yellow Iresine, geraniums, sweet potato vine, and morning glories add color. We also adopted the small circular cul-de-sac garden which is planted with roses, plus canna lilies and datura that were started indoors in March from last year’s tubers and seeds. The north yard is a small area that has lilacs, mock orange bushes, more than a dozen varieties of daylilies, and lawn that is edged with hosta. Entrance to the south yard is by stairway or a pathway lined with ‘Annabelle’ hydrangeas, which continues through an area shaded by the Chinese elms and maple trees and underplanted with hellebores, oakleaf hydrangea, hosta, a Sargent crabapple tree, maidenhair ferns, European ginger, and a climbing hydrangea. The garden beyond is planted with lilies, iris, over 30 varieties of hosta, over 30 varieties of daylilies as well rhododendrons around a two-level deck. One reflecting pool was converted into a rose garden. There are also sculptures and fun art pieces throughout. Beyond the garden is the terraced “hill” that was all grass with birch trees and need to be mowed. We tried to carve out a few gardens, but none really succeeded other than a small vegetable garden in a patch of sunshine that gives us herbs, tomatoes and green beans. The remainder of the hillside is wild and is traversed by occasional foxes, deer, owls, hawks, and other typical urban critters, some of whom take up residence.

This garden’s estimated size is 1/2 acre.

Tickets will be available for this Open Day on Thursday, May 1st.

2025 Open Day:  Saturday, July 19

Hours: 10-12, 12-2, 2-4