Old growth gardens are magical and inspirational. They are truly a sanctuary in every sense of the word for its owner and those who have the privilege to visit. A garden over 60 years old on Old Centralia Road offers its owners, Chester Garden Club member Charlie Morgan and his wife, Cindy, a private sanctuary. The only hint given is in the spring when full-bloom azaleas drift over the sidewalk. But if you are privileged to walk the three-quarter-acre site, you enter a pathway surrounded by a profusion of colorful azalea blooms (with some standing over 12 feet), followed by the vivid fuchsia blooms of rhododendrons with paths bordered by mature English Boxwoods and Camellias continuing to showcase their winter blooms. Large patches of Lily-of-the-Valley preparing to share their blooms add to the magic of the wooded wonderland.
One could say Morgan is the caretaker of the garden, a garden that was planted by his mother, Ladelle Morgan, many years ago. His parents, Ladelle and John Morgan moved into the Cape Cod that backs up to Thomas Dale High School in 1951. She was an educator and taught school in Chesterfield County. Ladelle Morgan was also a Master Gardener, a member of the Rose Society in Richmond and was known for growing rhododendrons from seed.
“It’s a hands-off kind of garden,” said Morgan while strolling through the paths. “I can remember growing up we had turkeys and chickens and a rabbit hutch over here [pointing to the right side of the rear yard]and fruit trees across the back garden. The rose garden was here but did not make it over the years after the white pines and hemlocks matured.”
Morgan purchased the family home when it came up for sale in 1986. He also became a Master Gardener through the County Extension office in 1986. “When I got the house I thought I better learn something about gardening,” he said. “Mom did a landscape plan of the house when she was a Master Gardener.” His sister, Christine Friday, has been helping him a lot this spring with pruning and clearing some of the pathways.
Now retired, he re-entered the Master Gardener program and enjoys helping people with their questions, concerns about their yards and volunteering with his favorite – thr Grassroots Program.
He became the first male to become a member of the garden club in 2015. His neighbor, Barbara Micou, president of the club, asked him to join. He said he enjoys his membership and is learning a great deal about plants and really likes the lunches each month. “The church ladies have great lunches,” he said. He prefers the horticulture aspect of the club and is not too sure about the design requirements. “I have to do two artistic designs each year and I still have one to do before the end of the year. But I have received a lot of help from Margi [Fox] when she held a design workshop.”
Morgan said he would like to see more men become members and see the club expand its outreach with bigger projects in the community.
Morgan will have a design exhibit during the final week of the Artistic and Horticultural Exhibit at the Chester Library, April 25 through April 30.
A correction from last week’s Margi Fox’s article – the Chester Garden Club is a member of the Piedmont District of Virginia Federations of Garden Clubs, Inc. Our apologies for the error.
