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Garden Sanctuary

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Rescued from trash heaps and handed down from friends, plants of all provenance are right at home in Jane Ries’ West Ashley garden

Photographs by
Roo Way
Garden Sanctuary
A bamboo gazebo shrouded in jasmine serves as the garden’s centerpiece.
Garden Sanctuary
Longtime Charleston resident Jane Ries bought this 1940s cottage in the West Ashley neighborhood of Carolina Terrace nearly four years ago. Using mostly hand-me-down plants and the discipline of a true DIYer, she transformed the once-barren backyard into a lush, well-shaded extension of the house. “My friends know that I’m a garden bully,” says Ries. “It doesn’t matter what time of year, if I have visitors, we’re going to gather outside. If it’s hot, I’ll turn on fans. If it’s cold, I’ll bring out blankets. I always prefer to be in the garden.”
Garden Sanctuary
Decorative elements, like this colorful faux beetle and vintage chandelier with petal-shaped votive holders, are found throughout.
Ries’ backyard garden is largely defined by her use of varied plantings and containers, like vinca housed in an aged yellow container found in France and this succulent in a worn turquoise pot.
When relocating a recycled plant, make sure the container or garden hole is large enough and plant in a mix of potting soil and a moderate amount of compost (too much will burn the plants). Water frequently.