Home grown

The Wootens' acreage is a mix of tailored plant beds and natural areas that blend into the beauty of the wooded landscape. Wildflowers grow freely in those natural areas. Despite nature's contributions, most of the land's beauty comes with a lot of hard work. Because the Wootens maintain their gardens themselves, Jim usually works outdoors five days a week for several hours each day.

The couple's efforts have paid off with vegetable patches, fruit trees and bushes, and an extensive selection of hostas and rhododendrons.

"We never intended to be plant collectors, but it looks like that's what we've become," Ilona says.

Their collection includes more than 100 varieties of hostas and 150 varieties of rhododendrons. Jim grows about 50 types of deciduous azaleas, and Ilona tends ferns and a large herb garden.

Five water features accent the Wootens' gardens, including a rock waterfall near a collection of egret statues. Three benches are arranged around one of the water features, and Ilona says it's her favorite spot on the acreage.

"That's a wonderful place," she says. "It's very calming and relaxing." Nature provides another water feature - a seasonal stream that runs through the natural part of their land.