Heron Cove

Enter this beachside sanctuary through the arched entrance. A mature star magnolia (Magnolia stellata) graces the top of the terraced hillside above a melodic waterfall. The descent is shaded by a camellia canopy, above a whimsical driftwood log displaying seashells next to vintage pots boasting impatiens and hostas. At the bottom is a stone patio surrounded by sarcococca, with a euonymus lovingly trained to frame art on the wall of the garden shed. A thirty-year-old potted laceleaf Japanese maple shades the vintage birdbath. In the corner of the house is a potted ‘Ukigumo’ Japanese maple. The outside dining patio features a cast iron pizza oven and a delightful herb garden. On the north side a rhododendron trunk supports a wisteria.

In summer, copious orange and red gladiolas and geraniums brighten the waterside garden. An expansive and fanciful driftwood collection frames the view of the Sound.  Look for the glass eye of “squidy” or the “dragon head” or “alligator” or “dolphin”. The lower stone patio has a large teak table and chairs for dining by the sea. To the north is an arbor covered completely with wisteria. Interspersed throughout the garden are Senecio ‘Angel Wings,’ with velvety silver leaves.

For 40 years the garden has been under the professional care of gardener Lee Kelly. When Debra acquired the home six years ago, Lee quipped, “I thought I had lost my job because Debra is such a devoted gardener”. Now they enthusiastically continue to work together as a team.