
DATE: Sunday, May 25, 1997                  TAG: 9705270217

SECTION: HOME                    PAGE: G1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY MARY REID BARROW, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   98 lines

GARDENERS WILL SHARE SECRETS OF THEIR WATERFRONT GARDENS

A VISIT TO Ken and Shirley Sutton's garden on River Road in Virginia Beach is mind boggling.

The right side of the brain wants to revel in the beauty of a vista of lush green grass, tall trees and sculpted flower beds framed on three sides by the Eastern Branch of the Lynnhaven River.

Meanwhile the brain's left side is locking in on data provided by Ken Sutton who knows and instantly recalls all sorts of information about his unusual plants, from the botanical and common names, to how well they do in sun, dappled sun and shade or how they survive wind off the river.

Sutton collects plants, new and old, rare and common, and is knowledgeable about every plant he has.

``I'm one of those gardeners who has to have one of everything,'' he said, ``and when I plant something, I want to know everything about it.''

So be prepared with pen and paper when you visit his garden on the Norfolk Botanical Garden's ``Gardeners in Their Gardens'' tour next weekend. Five waterfront gardens in the Great Neck area of Virginia Beach will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and from noon to 4 p.m. next Sunday.

Special characteristics you will see in the various gardens include natural areas for wildlife, shady woodlands, a variety of native plants and flower beds that can take the brunt of the waterfront's hot sun and wind.

Sutton and the other gardeners will be available during the tour to answer questions from visitors.

Sutton's yard is unusual in that it features several interesting structures, dreamed up by this marine contractor, who does most of the gardening and building himself. A free-standing copper trellis is supported by massive timbers, scavenged from a construction demolition job. The trellis holds a swing shaded by wisteria climbing overhead. Carolina jessamine climbs another trellis built under an upstairs deck.

A huge project, just completed, is a set of cobblestone steps leading down to a retaining wall near the water. The cobblestones once paved a downtown Norfolk street. ``This is my pride and joy,'' Sutton said.

A brick herb garden, cut into the hillside, was conceived by Sutton and his 16-year-old daughter, Carrie. The most recently completed project, the herb garden is still being planted.

A swimming pool overlooks the river, and the 17-foot elevation with a low brick wall in front gives the illusion that there is nothing but water beyond. The vista is of trees overhead, flowers spilling over the wall and water. Plume poppies, achillea, rugosa roses, santolina, coreopsis and purple coneflowers are among that plants that do well around the pool and on the windy hillside beyond.

``The afternoon sun is scorching,'' Sutton said.

A serene courtyard near the swimming pool is sheltered by two wings of his home. Potted plants, including a rosemary bonsai with which Sutton is experimenting, are part of the little nook that he calls ``my container area.''

Raised brick beds framing a pond where koi swim placidly are built into the side of the house. A climbing hydrangea reaches up the wall of the house, and black bamboo with striking ebony stems accents the end of one of the beds.

Beds curve all around the other three sides of the house and are filled with an eclectic array of plants, from a native sweet bay magnolia to a paperbark maple with paper-thin bark curling delicately on the trunk. A contorted Japanese mulberry lives up to its name. Siberian, Louisiana, Japanese and bearded iris in a variety of colors are sprinkled throughout as are hybrid daylilies.

A row of little smoke trees with purple leaves and blooms that look like puffs of smoke when wide open grow in one area. And there's an unusual hybrid daphne, called Carol Mackie, that has green leaves with yellow edging.

A work area features a Plexiglas shed Sutton built where semi-hardy plants can spend the winter. A vinyl-coated wire plant bench, built with 2-by-4 uprights allow potted plants to drain freely. And Sutton has pots upon pots of seedlings and volunteers, from azaleas to perennial geraniums stored on the bench.

``I can't stand to dig up a plant and not pot it,'' he said.

Between the swimming pool and the bench lies the next area for Sutton's fertile imagination to work on. Sutton's yard is a work in progress.

``I'll never finish,'' he said. ``I don't want to finish. Then the fun stops.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo

CHARLIE MEADS/The Virginian-Pilot

Ken Sutton leans on Clyde, a wood carving in his garden. Surrounding

them are purple hardy geraniums and yellow irises.

Graphic

GARDENS ON TOUR

Proceeds from the ``Gardeners in Their Gardens'' tour benefit the

Norfolk Botanical Gardens. This year's tour features the following

five waterfront gardens in the Great Neck area of Virginia Beach:

Mrs. Herman Dennis Jr. and Herman Dennis III