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TOUR HOURS:
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2025 Art in the Garden Tour – Garden Descriptions
| NOELL & JIM SCHEPP
PROVIDENCE PARK, CHARLOTTE, NC 28211
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TRANQUIL HABITAT
Noell and Jim Schepp’s 0.6-acre lot is filled with botanical diversity, whimsical art, and wildlife habitat. After moving from a five-acre property in Huntersville, the Schepps have spent the past 20 years creating an intimately private yet warmly inviting suburban retreat.
Nestled under a high canopy of mature hardwoods, their garden is filled with thoughtfully cultivated and well-curated plant and hardscape materials. The diverse plant palette, from bulbs and ground covers to shrubs and trees, offers splendor in every season.
Many plants are uncommon and placed in ways that showcase their best attributes. The pea gravel driveway flows into gravel and flagstone paths that lead to stone landings and patios that anchor the house to the land. Garden paths invite wonder through lush plantings and sensitively placed art.
The naturally inspired integration of ponds is rarely seen; they are a seamless part of the landscape, rather than a focal point. Throughout the property, seating encourages enjoyment from different perspectives.
This garden is a rare gem that strikes the perfect balance of providing serene beauty in all seasons and habitats for all kinds of wildlife.
| KRISTIN AUERBACH
MONTIBELLO, CHARLOTTE, NC 28226
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TIMELESS TERRACES GARDEN
The Auerbach garden blends formal elegance with structural sophistication, beautifully complementing this traditional estate home. Since acquiring the 2+ acre property in 2021, much work has gone into thoughtfully curating a young garden that echoes the home’s classic aesthetic.
Key features include multiple terraced levels, brick retaining walls, and a formal pool, all interconnected by gravel walking paths and natural stone accents. Manicured boxwood hedges, seasonal plantings, and ornamental trees further enhance the garden’s timeless appeal. Thoughtfully placed seating areas provide inviting spaces to enjoy the serene landscape, while carefully selected plantings ensure year-round interest. The result is a tranquil and private retreat, seamlessly harmonizing with its refined surroundings.
| INTA RICH
PROVINCETOWNE, CHARLOTTE, NC 28277
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ROOTS & RESILIENCE GARDEN
Inta Rich purchased her home in 2012 and, that same year, began cultivating her full-sun garden on a third of an acre. Originally from Latvia, she quickly discovered the stark contrast between the soil back home and the challenges of Carolina clay. Despite these hurdles, she remains endlessly inspired, always envisioning new possibilities for her garden.
Her love for gardening was planted early—spending summers with her grandparents, who were farmers, deeply influenced her passion. This early exposure eventually led her to become a Master Gardener.
She describes her garden in three words: Surprise, Clay-Bull Tallow Challenge, and Love. Though she playfully refers to her backyard as a battlefield, it’s also the space that brings her the most joy. She embraces gardening as a partnership with nature, saying, “Plants are beautiful, and I’m just helping them.”
Inta’s garden is a DIY haven, a feast for the eyes filled with a diverse array of textures and forms. Visitors will find beauty amid the challenges, which she sums up in three words: soil, deer, and rabbits. She considers fall the most stunning season, when her garden is at its peak.
Among the many notable plants, one quirky standout is sure to capture attention—”Hairy Balls.”
| ERSKINE EDWARDS
MONTIBELLO, CHARLOTTE, NC 28226
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LOWCOUNTRY EDEN
Erskine Edwards’ home features a charming Lowcountry-inspired suburban garden designed to evoke memories of her childhood. Privacy was a key consideration in her design, along with the goal of creating a Four-Season Garden that provides year-round beauty.
In spring, her garden bursts into life with vibrant George Tabor and Formosa azaleas. A striking Windmill Palm from Chilly Palm serves as a primary focal point, thriving in the region’s climate. The serene atmosphere is further enhanced by a soothing patio area and a tranquil water feature.
Another prominent focal point on the property is a nearly 80-foot-tall Magnolia Grandiflora, which adds a majestic presence to the lush landscape.
Erskine’s greatest challenge is the heavy clay soil. However, her dedication is evident in the careful selection of plants, sourced from local nurseries in both of the Carolinas. This thoughtful curation ensures a garden rich in personal touches and unique character.
Visitors should take note of the four statues nestled within the garden, each representing one of the four seasons, adding an artistic dimension to the overall theme. Erskine has successfully created a welcoming and tranquil space that beautifully reflects her vision and Lowcountry inspiration.
| DR. DAVID MILLER
BELLEMEADE, CHARLOTTE, NC 28270
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SOULFUL SANCTUARY
When Dr. David Miller and his wife bought their home in 1996, there was an abandoned garden with a leaking water feature filled with debris in the backyard. (Debra knew they would buy the house before they saw the upstairs.) Renovating and then completely rebuilding that abandoned garden became a decades long project with no end in sight.
Primarily a shade garden, it incorporates native and exotic plants in a dynamic, ever-changing landscape rich in movement, texture and color. Camellias, Japanese maples and hydrangeas are favorites in unique shrub vignettes along a meandering path.
The garden attracts a variety of wildlife with songbirds, woodpeckers, Barred Owls, Red Shouldered Hawks and hummingbirds. Squirrels and chipmunks scamper everywhere. Frog’s chorus can be deafening on evenings after a summer rain.
Spring is the garden’s most striking season, as it awakens from dormancy in a lush display but it changes dramatically from season to season. Something is always happening in this garden.
Maintaining this sanctuary comes with challenges including hungry deer shameless rabbits, heat, drought and an aging, moody sprinkler system.
While Dr. Miller describes his gardening style as a “Botanical Orgy,” the cool shade of mature plantings, sounds of the splashing waterfall and wildlife provide a peaceful retreat that feeds the soul.
| RIGDON & BROOKE TERRELL
KINGSWOOD, CHARLOTTE, NC 28226
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WHISPERING WATERS GARDEN
A move from South Texas opened the door to new dreams—an invitation to reimagine what a garden could be in a very different landscape. The first transformation began with the land itself: a sloping front yard gently shaped into a calm, level space, setting the stage for what was to come.
Whispering Waters Garden grew from the vision of its owner, Brooke, and the collaborative efforts of devoted project partners. With Ed Davis shaping the structural bones and Johnny Massengill placing boulders like natural sculptures, the garden slowly unfolded, a labor of love that spanned seven years.
Today, a serene waterscape welcomes every guest, its quiet presence animated by the shimmering dance of koi beneath the surface. The gentle motion of water and fish alike creates a living meditation.
Three words echo through this space: peace, zen, and tranquility. Spring and summer are the soul of the garden, when once-sleeping plants rise and bloom, painting the landscape with renewal and light.
A particularly beloved presence is the Black Dahlia, which insists on returning year after year, claiming its place among the perennials with dark, velvety confidence.
Of course, nature offers its own tests—most notably herons with an appetite for koi. These winged intrusions are now held at bay by motion-sensing water sprays, a respectful nudge to keep their distance. And beneath the tall trees, the ongoing challenge of coaxing grass to grow continues, with countless blends tried in pursuit of the perfect green tapestry.
| TOM NUNNENKAMP AND LIB JONES
KINGSWOOD, CHARLOTTE, NC 28226
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MAPLEWALK GARDEN
Tucked away like a hidden gem in the heart of SouthPark, MapleWalk is a must-visit private garden. It’s the most visited residential garden in Charlotte, showcasing over 100 varieties of Japanese maples, more than 125 types of camellias, 20 unique dogwoods, along with a wide array of conifers and other rare, eye-catching plants—all within a beautifully walkable 2.25-acre setting. Born from one couple’s lifelong horticultural adventure, MapleWalk Garden reflects decades of passion, dedication, and a deep love for nature and garden design.
For more historical background on this garden – CLICK HERE
The Upper Garden offers flat terrain, making it more accessible for strollers, walkers, and guests using canes. In contrast, the Woodland Garden presents a 24-foot elevation change, complete with numerous stone steps and handrails. Visitors are advised to wear flat-soled shoes, a recommendation thoughtfully shared by the owners.
MapleWalk has been spotlighted on Jim Putnam’s HortTube, Matt Nichols’ Mr. Maple YouTube channel, and Brie Arthur’s Brie the Plant Lady, and has also been featured in Our State and SouthPark magazines.
Hope to see you all in the gardens!