6513 Stonington Drive, Hixson 37343
Established 29 years ago, the Johnson garden is half Japanese and half redneck with a sprinkling of British stumpery. Being located on a steep slope, the lot required extensive erosion control. Jerry tirelessly helped carry rocks from four different locations to ease erosion and create a half-acre rock garden. The garden perimeter on three sides is woods filled with 39 varieties of ferns, 95 Japanese maple freewill seedlings, variegated Solomon’s seal, nandinas, English ivy, hydrangeas, mahonia and aucuba japonica.
The wooded area also contains a “nursery” bed for Japanese maple seedlings, two compost piles, and a bench for viewing a hillside of hellebores. All prunings, clippings and leaves are used to mulch paths and larger cut branches become “redneck” fencing. The inner yard contains 39 varieties of mature Japanese maples and numerous relaxing areas for viewing.
The waterfall in the backyard plunges into a pond which is home to several goldfish and five colorful waterlilies. The sunny rock garden includes conifers, azaleas, verbena and dwarf loropetalum. Rock paths meander through purple clover, heuchera, spirea, and dwarf honeysuckle. Sharon fell in love with gardening as a 10 year old child when she brought home this “gorgeous” plant from the woods that turned out to be a saw brier! The Johnson’s especially enjoy the artistic beauty of the Lord displayed in every tree and flower in their backyard sanctuary.
Photo by Sandee Jenkins