Tour a Showstopping Waterfall Garden

Go behind the scenes in a Georgia property that showcases the best of the South's gardens and natural elements.

By: Lori Johnston

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Photo By: Photo by Angela West

Stairway to Sublime

The steps and layout were inspired by Newstead Farm (owned by the Firestone family) in Virginia. The homeowners wanted to evoke a romantic feel, from the fragrant flowers to the waterfall. They incorporated stone from south Georgia and antique English-style lawn ornaments.

Buck Stops Here

Deer are a common sight in Georgia yards, but this detailed sculpture is a constant fixture in a wooded section of the backyard. The homeowners found the statue at an antique shop and auction house.

Doors with History

If these doors could talk. The refurbished front doors are believed to be built in 1862, and they most recently came from a church in north Georgia that was being destroyed, says homeowner Bob Koven.

Curvy Contours

The curved walls were a design element the homeowners saw on visits to Charleston and wanted to bring into their Georgia yard. The stone is from south Georgia, which ties into the stone details on the European-style home. The Zeon zoysia grass, with its fine texture, can handle sun and shade.

Falls and Ferns

The waterfall is inspired by those along scenic U.S. Hwy. 64 near Highlands, N.C. Truckloads of stone were brought in from Tennessee, with extra details including a moss-covered log from north Georgia. Creeping Jenny has grown into the waterfall, which was built by Mountain Scapes of Clayton, Ga., and is surrounded by ferns from North Carolina.

Well-Placed Wildlife

Here and there in the Georgia garden, you'll find cast iron figurines, including adorable duck sculptures, enjoying the waterfall and wooded views.

Flower House

The stucco potting shed is a work zone that pays tribute to family members, with a bench that belonged to homeowner Bob Koven's grandmother.

Scenic View

The garden's waterfall creates a paradise even for faux animals, including small sculptures of rabbits and ducks. The homeowners found the creatures in Highlands, N.C.

Majestic Monument

The homeowners saw a pair of obelisks at a Georgia store and knew they had to have them. Part of the appeal was an unusual feature: the small spheres in between the stone pillar and pyramid top. The obelisks anchor one of the garden's numerous seating areas.

Take Your Time

An adorable snail sculpture, purchased in Highlands, N.C., is among the critters placed among the foliage in the Georgia yard, which has a stunning stone waterfall.

Road Often Taken

The driveway winds through the wooded setting leading to the European-style home in Georgia. The stonework begins at the roadway, with pyramid-capped columns, and ends at a waterfall built behind the home.

Alone in the Woods

Peek beyond the trees and you'll see a playhouse built years ago by the homeowners. The wooded property is off a busy road in suburban Atlanta, but much of it feels as if you're in the mountains.

Perfect Pedestal

A pathway of mini slate chips winds throughout the Georgia garden. Before reaching the waterfall, you can stop at a statuesque birdbath the homeowners found at a local English antiques store. The waterfall spans 22 feet, made of nearly 100 tons of stone.

A Stone's Throw

To the left of the classical European-style home in suburban Atlanta, the homeowners created a dry creek bed to solve water issues in the backyard. During a 2011 renovation, the stucco exterior was updated with stone, which travels down the stairway and into the parking area.

Tranquil Setting

Family and friends often gather in the Georgia backyard for informal get-togethers and major parties such as engagement soirees. In different sections, the homeowners were inspired by gardens in Charleston and Savannah, as well as mountain resort areas. Antique store finds include the stone birdbath.

Roaring Entry

The exterior of the classical European-style home was transformed from stucco to stone in 2011. Resting lions flank the expansive stairs, with potted mums and pumpkins for fall decor.

Natural State

The homeowners didn't plan on having a mermaid sculpture in their garden, but saw this mossy maiden at a consignment sale and created a spot for her in a mulched section of the yard.

Bursts of Color

To brighten up the gray tones of the potting shed, yellow mums in terra-cotta planters fill a double-decker wire plant stand. Popular purple pansies bloom above.

Manicured Look

Four Loropetalum trees, which bloom pink, were selected for the Georgia property by the homeowners, who worked with Pam Dooley of Plants Creative Landscapes. The trees are surrounded by dwarf boxwood hedges and seasonal color, such as yellow mums, in the garden, which also has a fire pit.

Bringing the Heat

The fire pit area, which can seat 12 to 15 people, is modeled after an outdoor area they enjoyed at Palmetto Bluff, a lowcountry resort community in South Carolina. Magnolias and hydrangea paniculata 'limelight' are behind the wall, made of stone from south Georgia. To the right, pink Wave petunias flow out of a container.

Up Against a Wall

The color combinations of plants, such as caladium, remain one of homeowner Gale Koven's favorite features in her garden, which has extensive stonework and a waterfall. She and her husband, Bob, worked with Pam Dooley of Plants Creative Landscapes, based in Decatur, Georgia, in designing the garden.

Sit a Spell

A wrought iron collection from Rocky Mountain Patio Furniture is among the numerous seating nooks in the Georgia backyard. Around the area, there's a Loropetalum tree, the Miami variety of a crepe myrtle, Spiraea japonica 'Gold Mound' and Yew 'Densiformis.'

Made in the Shade

A colorful dining set with an umbrella (from Pike Nurseries) creates a casual seating area in the Georgia garden. An 'Okame' cherry, Yew 'Densiformus,' Abelia 'Rose Creek' and miniature gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides 'Radicans') surround the circular patio.

Side View

Miscanthus sinensis 'Adagio,' Encore azaleas and Prunus laurocerasus 'Otto Luyken' soften the stone on the classical European-style home, which has an arched entryway.

Drainage Solution

A dry creek bed was designed to look like a continuation of the custom waterfall in the backyard, and it helps solve the property's drainage problems. 'Nellie Stevens' holly, ferns, 'Henry's Garnet' (known as Virginia sweetspire) and hostas flank the creek bed as it leads to the driveway.