Dixie Regional Tour Gardens | 2019

Creekside on Pepper Creek - The Garden of Jan and Greg Thompson

Twenty years ago, we moved to 2 acres on tidal Pepper Creek. We had gardened extensively in Howard County, Maryland and Loudon County, Virginia. Newly retired, though, we were “done” with gardening. This decision was not to last for long, but our new locale presented new challenges: sandy soil, deer, and voles.

The emphasis in this informal garden is hostas and daylilies. About 300 varieties of hostas and 390 daylily cultivars are all labeled with handmade wood garden stakes. Daylilies are in open, sunny areas, and hostas dominate the woodland. The hostas are planted in pots, most of which are then planted in the garden. This method deters the voles and allows us to enrich the soil in each pot. We use lots of compost and minimal amounts of fertilizer because of the wetlands.

The area near the creek is in its natural state with added native plants. To be opened in September 2019, the new Delaware Botanical Garden property adjoins ours. We welcome our new neighbors. This part of Sussex County is farmland, wetlands, and forested areas, although it is only 12 miles from the ocean.

We grow an assortment of flowering shrubs and trees. Shade perennials include fern, epimedium, hellebore and ginger. You are invited to walk the boardwalk over the marsh, browse the woodland garden, and sit on the deck to enjoy the view.