Great Bones - Originally conceived by noted garden designer Loutrel Briggs, this horseshoe-shaped courtyard was refreshed in 2010 with more of the traditional flora Briggs would have most likely used, such as hydrangeas and azaleas. Other plantings ensure something is blooming year-round, be it foxglove in the spring or camellias in the cooler months. Location: Downtown, South of Broad (circa-1951 and -1961 Loutrel Briggs-designed garden, owned by Monica and Ken Seeger) Issue: April 2017, “Open- Door Policy” Photographer: Katie Charlotte
A Grand Tour - Landscape architect Sheila Wertimer transformed an elongated backyard into three unique spaces to invoke memories of the homeowners’ favorite destinations. A bluestone patio steps down into a French parterre, followed by English-style beds erupting with blooms on either side of a lush lawn. The pool stretches through the final room—an ode to the Mediterranean. Location: Downtown, South of Broad (1839, owned by Susan and Gene Massamillo) Issue: April 2019, “Making Their Getaway” Photographer: Sarah Westmoreland
Some Like It Hot - These green-thumb homeowners cleared a series of cul-de-sac “rooms” in the woods around their home, including a tropical garden filled with heat- and humidity-loving plants. A variety of Australian tree ferns, banana plants, bromeliads, elephant ears, and palms thrive here. Location: Clearview, James Island (owned by Alejandro González and Jim Smeal) Issue: April 2011, “A Cultivated Life” Photographer: Peter Frank Edwards
Elegant landscapes designed for beauty and escape
Tour the rest of the homes:
“Open House,” April 2017 “A Cultivated Life,” April 2011
Tour Alejandro González and Jim Smeal’s James Island garden, thanks to Charleston Horticultural Society:
Take an epic house tour from 2011-2020
