MapleWalk is the private garden that Lib Jones and Tom Nunnenkamp have called home for more than 30 years. Their friend Jay Sifford wrote an article for SouthPark Magazine on this couple’s magical, inviting garden. Read it here.

Here’s a few words from Tom himself:

“About 20 years ago, Lib and I decided to create a woodland garden on the lot we had purchased a few years earlier. Bear in mind that, up to this point, we had not yet lost our sanity. We had been typical backyard gardeners and had purchased the property behind us as protection from runoff during heavy thunderstorms.

Our experience had been that many who called themselves landscape designers were not qualified to help us as we tackled this heavily wooded and neglected piece of property. Having purchased a couple of Dr. Larry Mellichamp’s books, we met him casually at a signing. Given his extensive knowledge and his reputation as a much-loved botany professor, we thought he might be able to give us names of qualified professionals.

The phone conversation that ensued changed our lives.

Larry suggested that he come out and take a look at our project and possibly serve as a consultant. Our purposeful walks over the hilly terrain and his musings as to which “hard-to-find” plant might look good in a particular spot eventually took two enthusiastic “backyard” gardeners into another realm. Lib became an avid collector of perennials, while I became obsessive about Japanese maples and hardscaping.”