Little Rock -- Brown Garden

Brown Garden, located on a half acres in Little Rock, was established in 1980. One can view the Arkansas River by looking over a rectangular swimming pool edged in limestone coping set in a Pennsylvania bluestone terrace, punctuated by large ceramic urns and a Tudor revival pool house. The main house has Tudor revival features such as clinker brick cladding that were copied for the pool house. Hardscape features have been used to define different areas of the garden, including rusticated stone pillars topped with iron urns at the entrance to the rear garden, iron gates and fences at the entrance, along the side boundaries and below the pool, a mortared fieldstone path into the rear garden, a stepping stone path set into the lawn behind the house, and broad stone stairs for graceful access to the different levels of terrain. Curving walkways, originally designed in 1987 by Memphis landscape architect Wiley Jones, which lead to the main house from the street and through the woodland garden to the pool house soften the rectangular lines of the property.

A mature weeping willow tree shades one end of the pool at the rear of the garden. A lawn of zoysia grass is bordered by curvilinear beds planted with forsythia, grape holly and yaupon holly, oak leaf and other hydrangeas, spiraea, dogwoods, azaleas, and lower story plantings of hostas, woodland ferns, mondo grass, golden creeping Jenny, coral bells, and daylilies. New Dawn roses and pink impatiens are planted around the pool terrace and around the house, while the large sea foam green ceramic urns on the terrace and on wide steps below the house are planted with seasonal tropical plants, English ivy and boxwood topiary.

The current owner purchased the house in 1980 and began landscaping the property but most of the plantings and the swimming pool were added after the owner married. A play area for children and a fenced rose bed are situated below the grade of the swimming pool, towards the river.

Persons associated with the property include: Mr. and Mrs. William A. Wirtz (former owners, 1945-1947); Louise A. Wirtz and Parma Basham (former owners, 1947-1980); Wiley Jones (landscape architect, 1987); W. Randall Byars (design consultant, 1999); Adrienne Taylor (landscape architect, 1999-2000); Chris Olsen (garden designer, 2003).