GARDEN PROFILE:
C Street Tropical Retreat

Five years ago Dave Carlin and John Nguyen were in the market for a home. They had not considered the Hill because John, an avid gardener, placed sufficient outdoor space at the top of his must-have list. “We did not believe we would find a house that would fit our gardening needs on the Hill," says Mr. Carlin.

Their house search led them to 642 C St., NE, an early-1900s Victorian row home. The couple was impressed by the interior - vaulted ceilings, immaculate hardwoods, fabulous formal dining room and living room, two first-floor fireplaces, and a grand, updated kitchen; but it was the spacious, private back garden that sold them on the property.

During their first year in the home, they enjoyed the traditional gardens as inherited. The space was refined and structured; Boxwoods lined the fences, two mature Crape Myrtles provided a shady cover to the brick-paved patio, and a towering Holly just off the deck added winter interest. A wooden pergola in the rear of the garden served as an outdoor dining room, and complementary plantings staged throughout created a lush garden retreat. For most Washington homeowners, this would have been enough. Yet John Nguyen, a native of Vietnam, needed more elements to remind him of his homeland.

Garden Rooms
The couple worked with landscape designer Mark White and put in motion some major changes. One of the two Crape Myrtles was removed to bring more light to the patio area, and two raised flagstone beds - one with a deep koi pond - were added on the sides of the lower garden. An elaborate Grecian urn sits on the pond's bank and gently circulates the water which creates soothing sounds. Water plants have also enhanced the tranquil aura in the main garden room. The entire brick patio was edged in flagstone to blend the raised beds with the patio surface.

Next, they furnished the patio area with black metal sofas and chairs with overstuffed comfortable cotton cushions and pillows. A metal and granite coffee table adds stark elegance to the comfortable seating. The area rug is a simple, understated taupe color that separates living space from surrounding garden rooms. The raised bed behind the sofa is filled with lush Hydrangeas and flanked by large, decorative planters which hold enormous Trumpet Lilies.

When dinner is served in the garden, guests dine under a custom iron pergola. The dining space sits a few steps above the main patio, and the teak table and chairs have weathered to a gorgeous silver-gray. Moss-covered bricks serve as the floor treatment, and Clematis vines create a white, blooming, fragrant back-wall.

Above the dining area, stairs lead to a brick area that continues to the back alley. A greenhouse assumes this rear space during the winter months, accommodating the garden's many potted plants until the next growing season.

The Plants
John Nguyen chose a variety of tropical plants to fill the garden. These grow in a diverse collection of planters or directly in the garden beds. The pots hold flowering Ginger, Trumpet Lilies, Basil, Begonias, Petunias, Geraniums, Coleus, Celosia, succulents and a juniper topiary. The garden beds are alive with Colocasia, Cannas, Ginger, Japanese maple, Hydrangea, Pyracantha, Magnolia, and Holly that create a lush tropical feel throughout.

In late spring and early summer, the Southern Magnolia blooms with large, dinner-plate-sized white flowers. And the large Crape Myrtle explodes with a riot of color from mid-summer to fall. There is interest in this garden for every season. When visiting this incredibly tranquil space, it is easy to forget that busy C Street lies beyond this garden. In fact you can sit back, relax, and feel many, many miles away from it all.

Gardener's Challenge