It’s a beautiful day in the NEIGHBORHOOD
A neighborhood of more than 30 townhouses and cottages on the northern end of Flying Hills has been pulled together by a common love of gardening.
A neighborhood of more than 30 townhouses and cottages on the northern end of Flying Hills has been pulled together by a common love of gardening.
So although it’s not a community garden in the traditional sense, it certainly has given the residents something they can all feel part of and enjoy.
During the coronavirus lockdown, many of the neighbors had more time to spend on gardening and to walk around and enjoy everyone’s efforts.
The gardens contain many varieties of plants, some of them original to the landscaping of the development, which was built in the mid-1980s.
“Plants that were original to the neighborhood are daylilies, hostas, boxwoods, flowering cherries and dogwoods, gold cypresses and grasses,” said Ellen Gallagher, 79, who moved to the neighborhood in 2014. “But there are many varieties of shrubs, perennials and annuals that have found a home here over the last 30 years.”
Dan Reese, 70, has lived in the neighborhood for 33 years. He said he’s always enjoyed gardening, but as so often happens, the abundance of daylillies in the landscape wasn’t originally in the plans.
“We decided to try them as a ground cover when the drainage ditch behind our home was turned into rock by the builder after heavy rains,” Reese said. “The flowers survived in the heavy flow of water when it rained, so we just kept dividing them and planting them in the rocks for 30 years.
“All the flowers came from three small groups that were planted in the front of the house by the builder. We have never purchased any daylilies, just kept dividing and replanting what was there. It took a great deal of work, since we were planting in sharp rocks where we could find some dirt.
“We no longer have to look at rocks, and the result of the hard work is lovely.
Daylilies are a great ground cover, as they spread quite easily, grow anywhere and take very little care.”
Gallagher said that in addition to the beds that border the homes and hillsides, there are kitchen courtyards and decks that bring additional color viewed from the inside of each home or while walking in the neighborhood.
“Whether it was the hyacinths, daffodils, hellebores or bluebells in spring, or the seasonal perennials that followed, they all brought color and joy to our days,” Gallagher said. “And there are many annual supplements.”
Tim Dewalt, 60, also a longtime gardener, has lived in the neighborhood for 16 years.
Though each property is maintained by its owner, there is a common feel to all of them.
“Together they create an overall landscape, one garden purposely meanders into another,” Dewalt said. “Our homes back up to the woods, which creates wonderful areas for shade gardening — ferns, hostas, hellebores — commonly known as Lenten rose. The opposite side of the home primarily basks in sun all day.”
Dewalt also acknowledged the four-season appeal of the gardens. There are bulbs in the spring — daffodils, tulips, hyacinths — and when summer comes, you can see favorites such as astilbes and zinnias.
“Through fall there are chrysanthemums, grasses and pumpkins,” Dewalt said, “and holly, heavenly bamboo, ornamental grasses and evergreens in the winter.”
The neighbors enjoy sharing tips, getting the latest news on where good plant buys can be found and learning from each other. They water each other’s gardens when someone is on vacation.
“Gardening leads to conversations, friendships, caring about each other and pride in our neighborhood,” Dewalt said. “We admire each others gardens on our daily walks.”
Gallagher said when she thought about her neighborhood’s gardens, the phrase “It takes a village” came to mind.
“In our case it could be called, ‘It takes a neighborhood,’” she said. “Or, ‘It makes a neighborhood.’”