When Tim Jacobs landed in CCH in 2008, he describes the yard of his home at 3406 Brookwood as having a “good footprint”, but well, in need of a makeover. However, the former professional landscaper saw lots of potential and has brought that potential to life, earning him the CCH Beauty Spot for November 2021.

Tim mixes hardscape and eclectic plantings to create layers of stone and shades of green, framed with a brilliant canopy of fall-colored leaves. He has given considerable thought to how the rolling yard can best enhance the overall visual appeal. From a line of maple trees on the yard border, an ivy-covered stone walkway separating a lush stand of rhododendrons from a mature cluster of azaleas, the sand-colored pebbles of happy accident that dog legs the walkway – the rolling yard transitions gently from one planting area to another.

Plant selection comes down to what catches Tim’s eye and fits the budget. He also prefers landscaping that will stand the test of time even if it takes a bit longer for the initial installation. His work gives CCH a yard that greets you with the fiery red leaves of a dogwood contrasted against the still green leaves of the maples. A ring of Windsor stone encircles the trunk of a large maple and overflows with silvery-green mounds of artemisia offset by the bright yellow of hostas as they fade in the fall chill. Gold mop cypress, pieris shrubs, ornamentals hostas, and a lone pair of elephant ears that haven’t gotten the memo winter is coming, fill the beds framing the house.

The zebra grass, one of Tim’s favorites, in the side lawn catches the light of the sun as it sets seemingly ever-earlier these days, cueing the solar lights it’s their time to shine and light the bed borders and walkways. He’s pretty happy with the durability of his stonework, noting the previous stonework couldn’t hold up to the network of tree roots, but “so far, so good” he says of the stones he’s laid over the past years. Now if he could just get the dogs to contribute more positively to the backyard! 

As the cold winter nights approach, take advantage of the fleeting daylight to admire the Jacobs’ outstanding landscape.

Hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving.  We’ll be back this spring to feature another amazing CCH property.

Kim Leone and Kirsten Youngren

Country Hills Garden Club

Catherine and David DeConcini, have created a delightful splash of fall color in their front yard at 3412 Park Hill Place, earning them recognition as the October Beauty Spot of the Month.

Dotted with mums, dahlias, and brightly colored seasonal gourds, the DeConcini yard celebrates the arrival of fall. A still-blooming hydrangea anchors the corner bed and the DeConcini’s have added scarecrows, witch hats, and vintage metal bicycle planters, combining to create a whimsical feeling of fall and Halloween. A neatly trimmed house-framing hedge provides a brilliant green backdrop to the playful collection of flowers, foliage, and fall décor.

Vintage metal bicycle planters add a further touch of whimsy, adding to the layers of color with pots of mums in full bloom. Catherine says she loves the old time feel the bicycles bring. And she’s not the only one loving the DeConcini yard. Bees buzz happily among catmint, salvia, and dahlias. Large gourds and a pumpkin nestle among the mums in the stone-rimmed bed.

As Virginia’s summer fades into the chill of autumn, take advantage of the warmth and sunshine, wander past Catherine and David’s yard to enjoy some fall color and whimsy.

Kim Leone and Kirsten Youngren

Country Hills Garden Club

(click picture to enlarge)

We are glad to present to Craig and Lingling Green of 3419 Andover Street with this month’s Beauty Spot Award.

The yard has been evolving so much in the last couple of years and it is a beautiful work in progress. When you come up Andover where it dead ends into Cornwall, you look directly at their front yard. A wonderful large boulder in a round bed is surrounded by Black-Eyed Susans and Coneflowers and adds a bright splash of color in the center of the yard. To the left is a Japanese Maple, a fuschia Crepe Myrtle and to the right a Cherry tree. All of these areas have had slate/stone walls built around them to define the round beds, which adds both height, depth and balanced dimensions to their yard.

Newer additions include 2 lovely Fig trees and 2 Japanese Snowbells close to the street in the berm area, and we can’t wait to see how they grow in the next few years!

A newer addition with great eye appeal in these days of going greener and growing our own food, is a beautiful arbor with Japanese pumpkins and cucumbers. A great new look as the vines are growing completely over the top!  To each side of the arbor are kumquats and tomatoes in pots.

Of course, the rose garden to the right of the arbor keeps more traditional beauty alive and well, with multiple varieties in the white fenced bed, while surrounded by Bearded Iris, Peonies, Lilies of the Valley, lavender Hydrangeas, and Black-eyed Susans. It has grown so beautifully since it was started!

The front of the house offers its own charm as well, with incredible hostas, whose stems and leaves defy gravity with their size! The diversity is impressive as well, with Nandinas, Cannas, Stargazer Lilies, and a Wisteria climbing up the middle of the wall in the front as well.

This yard is continuing to evolve and we look forward to seeing whatever they do next!