Less than a year ago, Liz Preyer asked the owner/designer of Elysian Fields, Carole Meyer, if she could help create a welcoming and intimate garden for her ECO/Bunglalow home. After Carole’s architect husband, Scott Meyer, built a cedar fence to frame the small lot, an exciting explosion of desires and ideas began to unfold! Small dwarf trees, evergreens, conifers, and flowering hardwoods soon arrived, followed by a layering of unusual bulbs, perennials and textured, aromatic groundcovers. In the back of the house, hand cut stone “rooms” made spaces for raised beds, a meditative fountain space, and another area for outside gatherings. Liz reflects, “This lush, but tiny, tender garden/oasis has given me, as well as the many walkers, cyclists and friends, great joy, ease and rich satisfactions with its ever-changing wonderful gifts!”

Upon buying their bungalow in 2007, Amanda and Michael Silverman inherited a very simply landscaped yard, heavily laden with solid green hostas and lilies and short on anything else. A constant project, their goal in the beginning was to plant anything that wasn’t solid green and didn’t require full sun. With time and generous friends with interesting non-green shade plants, the garden is beginning to have a personality. Even a summer which began with numerous hail storms can’t keep a hosta down and the recent summer camp on fairy houses attended by their daughter has added a new dimension to the garden. Don’t be surprised if you happen upon a fairy dwelling or two while exploring this hosta haven.

In his four year old garden, Eli Strull has been planting and transplanting, observing color and form, and soaking up plant knowledge. He planned the overall design in advance using primarily found and re-purposed materials, including all the metal and locust rails. Working within a modest budget, the plant selection and layout of each garden section expresses his fondness for the cyclical nature of perennials which he intersperses with seasonal edibles. “Organically cultivated with an eye to year-round interest,” says Eli, “the garden feeds my love of fresh floral arrangements while my children savor the peas and strawberries. What started as a lawn alternative now has me wanting to design, build and tend gardens for others. I support that vision with ongoing experimentation in my home garden.”

Our garden is oh so conveniently located directly behind the café. Having an on-site garden is part of Sunny Point’s commitment to the environment. “We deliver food with feet not fuel, creating local jobs and beautifying our community in the process.” A work in progress over the past 6 years, it began supplying only small amounts of culinary herbs and flowers, but now provides lots of herbs and flowers and supplements the cafe’s produce needs, making possible the Café’s “extra special garden specials.” “We love knowing that many enjoy this working garden and delight to hear stories from some who’ve been inspired by it. We are so thankful to live in this community.”

The Hop West Presents: “Going Green with Moss” with the owner of Mountain Moss Enterprises, Mossin’ Annie. Come visit the mini-moss garden at Rainbow Mountain School co-designed by third-graders and learn about the environmental benefits of moss gardening. Stop by The Honeybee Project to learn how bee pollination helps our gardens grow. Ask how the Outdoor Classroom and gardening are used to learn about growing local food. Find out more about the green benefits of moss by visiting www.mountainmoss.com. The Hop West will have local handmade ice cream and bottled water available for purchase. You can also buy garden art and garden-themed bags. Restrooms, parking, and drinking fountain available.

Founded in 2005, West Asheville’s Green Hill Urban Farm seeks to provide convenient access to neo-agrarian culture and sustainably produced food to the surrounding Asheville area. Saved from development, Green Hill is a shining example of green space preservation achieved through the collaboration of private citizens. The four varied acres of gardens now include new and old orchards, raspberry patches, aquaponics, ducks, chickens, quails, and more. In its fourth year as a community-supported agriculture farm, Green Hill founder Michael Fortune works with 40 families. Families buy shares in advance of the harvest to support the farm’s operational costs and in exchange receive regular selections of food, herbs, and flowers during the growing season. (See www.greenhillurbanfarm.com for details.)

Landscaping at the West Asheville library includes a mix of deciduous trees along the street and an eye-pleasing combination of shrubs and perennials around the building.  Plantings include rhododendron, azalea, rose of Sharon, St. John’s wort, pansies, viola, ferns, lemon balm, salvia, coneflower, soapwort, gooseneck loosestrife, and many others.  Plantings are maintained by volunteer gardener Tom Jordan with support from Asheville GreenWorks.

For three years, 15 families have been working cooperatively on a plot of about 1/4 acre, and they’re growing!  This year, they added 10,000 square feet, a gazebo, a bean teepee, stone stairs, and a rainwater irrigation system.  They’re growing potatoes, pumpkins, cutting flowers, basil, greens, tomatoes, melons, sweet potatoes, beets, asparagus, beans and more.  For the first time this Fall, they’ll harvest honey from their two beehives.  “We have monthly potlucks to which neighbors and friends are invited, and an annual harvest party in early October.  We are accepting new cooperative members for our fall season.” Contact Jennifer@jmurphyart.com for more info.

After almost three years in the ongoing process of developing a garden, Katie Doan and Brian Abercrombie are beginning to get a sense of where their garden is going.  Holding their intention to grow native plants and provide habitat for birds and pollinators, they have been removing the lawn (smothered with cardboard and mulch) and defining beds with a variety of found materials.  Focus plants include an heirloom apple, walnut trees, berry-producing shrubs, as well as perennials and evergreens.  Katie adds, “In addition to the visual delight of the wildlife, there is also a growing collection of ‘eye candy’ for humans, garden objects that amuse and delight, like the crazy paving walkway.  We enjoy gardening and the rewards of feasting on some of the fruits of our labor.”