Enchanting Walled Garden

About

In 2022 well-known Charleston landscape architect Sheila Wertimer designed garden rooms to encircle rarely allowed new construction in the Historic District. Dedicated gardeners themselves, the husband and wife team have taken advantage of the loggias, terraces and the high walls around the property, which were formerly the exterior of a warehouse, to create various vignettes for enjoyment of their paradise. Boxwood edged beds of Liriope anchor the iron gate entrance, which opens onto an urn spilling with seasonal plants above a gravel path and borders of camellias, boxwood globes, holly ferns, and papyrus, the husband’s favorite. The first large garden room, frequently used for entertaining and dining, contains a fountain, bluestone terrace, and pool, each area fowing seamlessly together among a dahoon holly allee, crepe myrtles, and beds of holly fern, Liriope, mahonia, and African iris. A jasmine covered Belgian fence provides background for two stone 19th century female sphinxes guarding the pool. From the south loggia, a stone and gravel path passes large boxwood globes in urns and sasanquas and opens into the next garden, a potager, where fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers abound. This four quadrant parterre separated by gravel walks holds potted lemons and limes and a center of herbs with a carved stone obelisk covered by blue Cape plumbago. Two Belgian fences with confederate jasmine climb the southern wall. Tucked in the corner is a delightful sitting area to enjoy the garden and a cup of tea or drink. A massive live oak tree, with its own cut- out space in the wall, completes the scene and provides shade for the motor court.

This garden is a part of the Saturday, May 31 Behind the Garden Gate - Charleston Open Day (Historic District). For more information and tickets about this event, please click here.