Pittsburgh -- Stonehouse

This 2 1/3 acre garden was established in 1978, when the . In keeping with the stone Tudor nature of the home, the owners installed stone walls to create various garden areas on the hilly site. The property was originally overgrown and many trees had to be removed due to old age and disease. A peony bed and ornamental grasses were the only salvageable plants. The entrance to the property is marked by a ten-foot high decorative iron gate that opens to an uphill curved driveway. It is bordered by oak leaf hydrangea, tall evergreens, viburnum plicata, hollies and groundcovers. The large front foundation planting includes boxwood, juniper procumbens nana, and stewardi. Ornamental trees planted by the current owners include acer griseum, stewardi pseudocamellia, fagus asplenifolia, gingko, and many Japanese maples. One enters the back garden through an arched gate made by a local iron maker. The most significant hardscape feature in this area is a serpentine wall with curved steps constructed by three generations of Italian stone masons. This garden has many shade plants, including specimen hostas. The owner created a large couch in Buxus after visiting castle gardens in England. The hydrangea garden features a copy of the "Bird Girl" sculpture by Sylvia Shaw Judson with symmetrical beds on either side. An iron arbor and gate mark the entrance to the cutting garden that includes an extensive collection of dahlias. A stone framing waterfall surrounded by ferns cascades down to a large rock garden filled with dwarf conifers. Here a small patio with seating overlooks a koi pond at the base of the waterfall. The property features multiple secluded vistas with benches to view different areas of the gardens. Also featured are a pool and a turquoise filigree gazebo. Various rabbit sculptures are placed throughout the property, including one sculpted from boxus variegata and an eight foot rabbit carved from an old buckeye tree.

Persons associated with the garden include: Raymond Cronenweth (former owner, 1930); Elaine Hensel (former owner, 1960).