For Release
Jan. 25, 2005

 The Citadel's Memorial Garden Tour highlights Church Street

           The 7th annual Emily Whaley Memorial Garden Tour will feature the beautiful gardens of Church Street, as well as two special and elegant gardens on East Battery. Sponsored by The Citadel's Daniel Library Friends, the tour raises money to support the library. This is a rare opportunity to see the horticultural underpinnings in beautifully designed gardens.

           The tour is from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, March 13 beginning at ALKYON ARTS, 120 Meeting St. The self-guided tour costs $50 and reservations are required. Call 843-953-7691. The tour provides transportation from East Battery back to 120 Meeting St. where a gala reception will be held from 3 to 5 p.m.

           Church Street is Charleston's oldest city street and has elegant houses and gardens. The James Veree House at 58 Church St. was the home of the famed gardener Emily Whaley whose "Mrs. Whaley and Her Charleston Garden" has been enjoyed by gardeners of all ages and sexes. This tour will feature Mrs. Whaley's garden.

           On this year's tour are:

87 Church St., Heyward-Washington House Garden
           Built in 1772 the house is owned by The Charleston Museum. The Charleston Garden Club used plants typical of 18th century Charleston. The formal, geometric garden has neat blocks with paths, with lovely camellias as focal points in the parterres.

69 Church St., Capers-Motte House Garden
           This 1750 double house has Gothic Revival outbuildings in the newly established garden. There is a new kitchen in the first outbuilding and it looks out on the graceful formal garden with fountain. The old privy provides a new garden shed by the pool. The stable enclosure garden has wonderful old roses.

59 Church St., Thomas Rose House Garden
           Built in 1735 this house is held by the Church Street Historic Foundation. The elegant garden was designed in 1956 by Loutrell Briggs at the behest of Juliette Staats. With colorful hanging baskets, the formal garden has two exquisite statues of summer and winter. An ancient fig tree guards the original kitchen outbuilding.

8 Church St., James Veree House Garden
           The house dates from 1759, while Loutrell Briggs designed the garden in 1955. Owned today by the talented artist and garden writer, Marty Whaley Cornwell, this garden was the collaborative effort of Briggs and Emily Whaley. The garden inhabits a long narrow space, 30 by 90 and is in three garden rooms. The 19th century marble cupid provides a focal point for the shallow reflecting pool.

38 Church St., Dr. Vincent Le Seigneur House Garden
           The extensive garden includes the best of Lowcountry planting: hollies, yew, sweet olive, box, palmettos, and palms. The garden is suffused with water sounds from the elegant fountain; crepe myrtles surround the terrace, while a lady bankshire rose adorns the arbor.

33 Church Street, Peter Tamplet House Garden
           This wonderful garden extends behind the two-story white house. A brick driveway which always features a joggling board leads into a courtyard garden whose southern exposure allows for colorful plantings in the spring and fall. The garden was designed by Mary Palmer and Hugh Dargon.

31 Church St., Richard Birnie House Garden
           This lovely garden behind a white gate has a wonderful enclosure provided by a huge magnolia and a tall wall. The microclimate makes for colorful spring plantings to be enjoyed in the comfortable seating arrangement, enhanced by the water focal point.

24 Church St., Thomas Ravenel House Garden
           Sheila Wertimer designed this small formal garden that adds great grace and style to this vintage Charleston brick house. A brick terrace leads back to the garden gate. Ferns are planted under weeping cherries. A fountain and peaceful Buddha are focal points.

9 East Battery, Robert William Roper House Garden
           The garden provides a luxurious counterpoint to the monumental Greek revival house. A green iron gate leads into a magnificent velvety green lawn. Note the wonderful summerhouse to the right. Magnolias provide an imposing enclosure for privacy, but allow views of the gleaming ocean.

51 East Battery, Caspar Schutt House Garden
           Three splendid garden rooms, designed by Sheila Wertimer, amplify and enhance the glorious house with its triple-tiered piazzas. Palms and palmettos enclose private spaces where the sound of water from an elegant fountain lulls and soothes. Extensive gardens complement the original kitchen, carriage house and stables.

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