Many, many moons ago, I fancied myself a hobbyist gardener. Back then, I tilled and nourished silty soil, planted beds, separated bulbs, nurtured tomatoes, and even grew a 10-foot avocado tree from a pit! I also dreamed of transforming my sandy beach of a front yard into an Eden, like the many gorgeous green spaces we have featured in the magazine over the decades—from Sullivan’s Island to West Ashley, downtown, and back again—gleaning ideas from each.
While scouting these stories, I’d find myself awestruck, inspired, and ultimately green with envy of all of this horticultural talent. They make it all look so easy! Stately trees, lush foliage, abundant blooms, and perfectly manicured paths—but the truth is, all that glory didn’t spring from nowhere. Talk to any real gardener, and they’ll tell you it’s a passion, one that requires time, dedication, hard work, and a whole lot of trial and error. It’s also one they wouldn’t trade for anything.
Case in point: this issue’s cover feature, “Bunny’s Garden” (page 94). Over the past 35 years, Carolyn “Bunny” Lloyd has transformed her James Island yard that had been flattened by Hurricane Hugo into a paradise filled with tropical greenery, swaying grasses, and all manner of pollinators, for the birds, bees, and butterflies she’s drawn to the space. It’s a wonderfully inspiring story, as the self-taught gardener learned by doing, along with some help and gifted plants from green-thumbed neighbors and friends, and she pays it forward offering advice as well as seeds and cuttings to those who visit. Be sure to watch our video tour with Bunny; she’s an utter delight!
As for my barren landscape, I finally came to my senses a few years ago and hired the pros to do it. But you can bet I’ll be tinkering with the plantings. Perhaps I should talk to Bunny.
Darcy Shankland
dshankland@charlestonmag.com