MY NEIGHBORS GARDEN –  by Kay Faught

Ron and Julie Kantor

“My Neighbors Garden” is actually one of  my neighbors!  Ron and Julie Kantor are newbies to Jacksonville, transplanting here after two long years of building and waiting for the timing to move from their Napa home.

Right off the bat, the Kantors had to deal with their Wells Fargo home’s hillside grade issues.  After working through re-design and retaining wall issues, they are now tucked into their home and working full tilt on design of their back garden…or more specifically, their “mission style, hint of Asian, retreat.”  Entering their home, your eye is immediately drawn to the large windows framing the structures, natural elements, and forms evolving in the garden.  On the same level, the view is a continuous sweep from home to outdoor.  I absolutely fell in love with the environment they are creating, and it made me want to rip out my garden and start over!  (A not-so-happy thought for my husband!)

Ron and Julie’s excitement is evident as they talk about the garden!  Both are finding therapy and joy in designing and finding out what they have in common with the selection of plants, pots, and decor.  Ron had a very clear idea of what he wanted, but it changed due to water diversion issues and deer. Neither like the “fence look” so with the help of a landscaper, they put “wants” down on paper, and integrated them into dealing with those issues.  The water problem drove them to what is now the focus of the garden… a gorgeous dry creek bed running the entire width of the back.  Flanked on the sides by mounded planting beds, (A feature repeated throughout) garden art, specimen trees, and large boulders are already creating a look of their own!  A beautiful contrast lies just beyond the creek bed where the back half of their property is left natural. It continues in a mesmerizing pastoral scene under small oaks, creating a canopy over gentle grasses. Afternoon sunlight warms the grass tips and tree bark, providing a landscaping feature money cannot buy, while deer graze in the shadows.

The garden boulders tie into the texture of the rock retaining wall, creating a strong 3-way partnership with the creek bed.  In the center of the garden, a meandering stone patio surrounds a 3 foot pillar stone fountain that trickles onto rocks.  Rock slab benches placed perfectly along the walking area unify the entire garden.

Julie’s greatest joy has been discovering all the plants available that she can play with! Suggested plants were not used, as Julie and Ron take pleasure in finding the perfect, unusual specimen tree or shrub for each spot.  Each plant has its own story and was selected based on what they love, and fits the look they want.  Instead of a “plan,” they are creating from the heart and are taking “one plant at a time.”  Rustic terra cotta pots hold bamboo.  Another perfectly placed, earthy glazed pot holds a curly “Walking stick.”   From tiny islands of sea thrift, to Japanese maple, a creamy white dogwood in a back bed, shade tucked hellebores, and several individual evergreens like a Hudson Spruce, it is becoming part of who they are.

Both mentioned they feel like “parents” each day, looking at each plant and seeing what it is doing, and how it has grown, or for Julie, finding a new bird sharing what they have planted!   She and Ron both love to just “be” in the garden and enjoy the time they have to enjoy it. Each step in the process is being savored! In no time they will be enjoying evenings with a glass of wine, as they listen to their fountain bubble, watch the birds, and see how “their children” have grown!

 Kay is the owner of Blue Door Garden Store, located at 155 N Third St.  Specializing in paraphernalia for the home gardener; she carries garden gifts, decor, and  a wide variety of pots, tools, gloves, and organic product.