Around Town: A walk through Woodside gardens Around Town: A walk through Woodside gardens (April 20, 2005)

By Jane Knoerle

Almanac Staff Writer

Woodside-Atherton Garden Club rarely sponsors a garden tour. It's been 20 years since the last one.

"We haven't had a fundraiser in a long time and so many of our members have exquisite gardens, it seemed like a good idea," says club member Tina Dreyer.

Four private and one public garden in Woodside will be featured in the club's "A Walk Through Country Gardens" on Saturday, April 23, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The tour includes a visit to the Woodside Library's native plant garden, where a plant sale will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This is the fifth year for the plant sale, for which many of the specimens come from the club members' gardens.

The club hopes to raise funds for further improvements to the garden behind the library and for other community projects.

Garden club members were pulling weeds in the library's native plant garden last week, spiffing up the one-acre plot in time for Saturday's tour. Since it was first designed by the late Jack Stafford of Woodside 35 years ago, the garden has been Woodside-Atherton Garden Club's pet project.

With its emphasis on water-wise plants, the native plant garden was ahead of its time.

"It was actually created before the first big drought of the 1970s," says club member Tina Dreyer.

"As with all gardens, this needed an update," adds Ms. Dreyer, who has been instrumental in its restoration. San Francisco landscape architect Ron Lutsko was brought in to help with the renovation.

The garden now contains mature native California plants interspersed with new introductions, including a meadow of native grasses.

Micro-sprinklers have replaced the garden's original drip irrigation and some planting areas have been mulched with gravel.

Five oak trees have been removed. "The oaks seeded themselves everywhere and suddenly we were a shade garden," says committee member Dianne Schilling.

The four private gardens are at their peak of springtime beauty. Pink and white dogwood were in full bloom at one estate last week, making a colorful background for pink and scarlet azaleas. The original garden, designed by famed landscape architect Thomas Church, includes a collection of mature, rare camellias, a rose garden, a vegetable garden, and an outdoor grilling area under a jasmine-covered trellis.

Another estate features 110 towering native oak trees, which surround the garden. "These are those California oaks that drop their leaves," says the owner. They also control her garden plantings because they don't like summer water.

The owners, who have lived on the three-acre property for 30 years, razed the original house and built a new contemporary stone house six years ago. They also own the adjoining three acres.

"The house was built with landscape architect John Aldrich right at my side," says the owner. The hardscape, which includes a terrace with a pergola and lap pool, is of lannon stone imported from Rome. Many of the artifacts in the garden came from England.

The owner, who is an avid gardener, has learned to work with the oak trees. She is particularly proud of her "Eddie's White Wonder" native California dogwood, which will grow under the oaks.

A third garden is noted for roses and wisteria covering trellises and walls. Pathways wander past perennial plantings inspired by English gardens.

Garden No. 4 is a formal garden at a house built in 1906. Thomas Church designed the perennial border garden for one of the former owners in the 1930s. The present owners, who have lived in the house for 36 years, had Mr. Church design the swimming pool and surrounding area for them in 1970. Ancient oak trees define the garden, which has a spectacular view of the Western hills.

The Woodside-Atherton Garden Club was founded 75 years ago. Barbara Preuss is president of the 125-member organization, which is affiliated with the Garden Club of America.
INFORMATION

What: "A Walk Through Country Gardens," a tour of four private and one public garden in Woodside. Where: Tour originates at Woodside Library native plant garden, 3140 Woodside Road, Woodside. When: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 23. Plant sale, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. How much: $40. Tickets available at Woodside Library the day of the tour or by calling 366-4091. The tour also includes refreshments, silent auction, and boutique at one of the gardens. For information: Call 366-4091.

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