Our Story

Dogwoods

In 1987, my wife and I bought a home in Kenilworth, a section of Asheville southeast of downtown. We were drawn to this property largely because of the beautiful side lot that contained a mixture of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs and five mature Dogwoods. Kenilworth lore says that Kenilworth’s founder, J.M.Childes, gave young Dogwood trees to new property owners in Kenilworth in the 1920’s. Since our brick home dates to 1925, we believed our trees could be these trees and be as old as 62 years! Even more amazing, four of these five Dogwoods are still flourishing in 2018 at  92 years old.
 
 
These mature Dogwoods were large, the largest trees with a canopy approximately 30-35′ wide, and a height of 20′. I decided that with proper care, we could maintain their health and even see further growth. So I studied about Dogwoods and developed my own techniques of Dogwood tree maintenance.
Our Dogwoods have grown substantially and two of the four have a canopy [or dripline] of 46′ and a height of 30′. I believe them to be some of the largest in Asheville.
 
 
The biggest challenge to maintaining the health of Dogwood trees has become the anthracnose fungus. If left untreated, it will wither and kill the newly formed leaves, stunt growth, and eventually kill the tree. It begins as leaf spots with tan or purple borders and spreads throughout the tree. I have been successful with my techniques of using an effective fungicide that can control this fungus.
 
 
I also prune judiciously. There is an art to this so the tree is not harmed and further growth is promoted. Proper feeding of the trees is also essential.
 
 
I now have 30 years experience of Dogwood maintenance that has resulted in healthy trees far exceeding the lifespan of most Dogwoods. Under the most ideal conditions, Dogwoods can live 80 years. We believe ours to be 92 years old!
 
 
Many of the ornamental dogwoods in Asheville are in poor condition. I have observed stunted growth patterns, an abundance of dead limbs, and leaves withered by anthracnose. This is a situation that can be helped if not reversed with proper care.

Roses

We were also fortunate to inherit a rose garden. Although sadly neglected and overgrown with weeds, we salvaged seven viable rose bushes, one the famous “Queen Elizabeth c.1955”. This fit as we believed this garden to be about 30 years old. We read countless books about rose care and rejuvenating an old rose garden. We cleared the weeds and vines and removed the dead wood and pruned and fertilized carefully. Today in 2018, six of those seven remain.The pleasure of unearthing and saving valuable plants became very satisfying to us. And, our love of roses “bloomed” so to speak. We have added forty plus rose bushes to our property, expanding the existing garden on the northeast side of our home and planting many more on the south facing side. We have hybrid teas, grandifloras, floribundas, climbers, the David Austin shrub roses, and several varieties of antique roses. It has become an addiction!
 
 
If properly cared for, certain roses will bloom from May through the end of October. Most of our roses are repeat bloomers and fragrant. Our friends and neighbors ask us: “How do you grow such beautiful roses?” I say “sun and time”. The longer answer is much more complicated. Roses require pruning at just the right time, correct pruning techniques, the right fertilizers and the use of organic matter through the season, recognizing rose predators and diseases, and using wisely certain sprays. Dead heading throughout the season is essential for repeat blooms. In Winter they need to be tucked in with blankets of organic matter. Roses are the “great ladies” of the garden and require lots of pampering.