Take a Tour of an Elegant Charleston Walled Garden

This formal garden defined by brick paths, statuary and classic Southern plants, is an oasis in the heart of Charleston, South Carolina.

September 25, 2019

By: Felicia Feaster

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Photo By: Tomas Espinoza

A Backyard Escape

An oasis of calm in the genteel city of Charleston, Peggy and Woody Rash's garden is ideal for parties with its lovely water feature, multiple outdoor rooms, trees for shade and a brick patio that won't tangle up high heels.

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Classic Charleston

"This is a kind of typical Charleston garden," says Peggy Rash, filled with classic Southern plants like crape myrtle, camellias, sweet bay magnolia, azaleas and tea olive as well as pittosporum, boxwoods and Italian cypress.

Outside Looking In

A view of the back of the Rash house, built in 1853, shows some of the unique features of the garden including crape myrtles framing the water feature and a "lawn" of mondo grass.

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Leading the Eye

A brick pathway leads from the main garden room to a smaller ancillary room demarcated by brick walls featuring carefully manicured creeping fig.

Myriad Views

The Rash garden has a sense of progression, with pathways leading to garden rooms and windows and gates opening up to other sections of the garden. The architecture of the walled garden gives a sense of discovery as you move through the space.

Outdoor Fireplace

Nothing brings people together like a fire and this handsome outdoor fireplace combined with a teak dining table for meals or socializing outdoors can extend time outside well into the fall and winter season.

In the Pink

Though the palette of this Charleston garden is subdued, favoring shades of green and white, this hibiscus bloom provides a nice pop of color.

Rest and Reflection

The placement of statuary and multiple places to sit in this Charleston garden provide many moments for quiet contemplation.

Stylized Statuary

This Charleston garden creates contemplative moments by arranging a small collection of statues throughout the garden that harmonize with plant materials.

Container Magic

Though containers placed throughout the garden feature an array of plant materials, a sense of cohesion comes in the exclusive use of terra cotta containers.

Color Scheme

Pink crape myrtles frame the garden in soft color and lend verticality to the space.

Keyhole View

Spiky agapanthus adds vertical interest within a grove of camellia sasanqua in this garden filled with circular "windows" and gates that offer views to other garden rooms.

Symmetrical Stylings

A wrought iron gate flanked by pillars topped by antique urns leads to the outdoor dining space at the Rash garden where two outdoor fireplaces keep things toasty in colder weather.

Simplified Palette

A palette of white and silver is achieved with dusty miller and geraniums planted in a dramatic formal urn. The container is cleverly irrigated to keep the foliage looking fresh.

Formal Garden 411

Crisp borders of manicured boxwood beautifully anchor a grove of crape myrtle while sculpted round boxwoods in terra cotta containers balance the squared-off hedges.

A City Garden

Though it is located in the center of Charleston, the Rash garden offers a delightful sense of escape thanks to tall walls that make the space feel like a private oasis.

Outdoor Arrangement

A lemon cypress tree is nestled in a bed of succulents in this pretty container arrangement.

Rule of Three

An arrangement of three containers with lemon cypress, fern and hibiscus bring symmetry to this Charleston garden.

Italian Cypress

Majestic Italian cypress trees flank this Charleston garden, lending a sense of Old World elegance.

Low-Maintenance Succulents

The ultimate in easy care, succulents are ideal outdoor centerpieces and provide instant interest on outdoor tables when visitors stop by.

Water Feature Impact

Don't underestimate the impact of a water feature in adding a restful mood to a garden and also to help drown out city sounds at a downtown garden like this one.

Naturalistic Furnishings

Outdoor furniture at the Rash home is beautifully made and placed to invite lingering in different sections of the garden. But the wood furniture also blends naturally into the surroundings, making the foliage the star of the show.

Lady in Waiting

A series of garden rooms unfolds as you move throughout the Rash space, with statuary ingeniously placed to give each garden vignette its own special character.

Conversation Piece

A cherubic statue is perfectly framed in this garden vignette.