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columbia metropolitan Home
Contents
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CH6 From the Editor CH8 2011 Parade of Homes
After a two-year hiatus, The Parade of Homes makes a stunning comeback By Sam Morton
CH26 You Can Go Home Again CH26 CH32
Four Columbians move back to their childhood homes By Melissa Andrews
CH32 Feeling God’s Earth in Your Hands
Betty and Jimmy Gasque’s passion for life in the garden By Margaret Clay
CH37 New to the Neighborhood?
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Columbia Metropolitan Home FROM THE EDITOR
C
olumbia Metropolitan magazine presents this special issue of Columbia Metropolitan Home. Inside you’ll find all that you need to know about this year’s Parade of Homes tour in Lake Carolina. The five featured homes will be open to the public May 7 through 22 from noon to 8 p.m. daily. During Mothers Morning Out, which will be held May 9, 11 and 18, the Parade will open at 10 a.m. Visit the Parade and see the latest trends in new home building and gather ideas from the featured interior designer in each of the homes. Also in this issue, writer Melissa Andrews interviewed several local Columbians about moving back into their childhood homes. These families share the joys of being able to grow their families and deepen their roots in familiar surroundings that they hold dear to their hearts. This story celebrates Columbia families and also offers great tips to anyone considering a move back home in their future. Jimmy Gasque has been the subject of numerous articles that focus on his love of teaching in the classroom. I consider myself very fortunate to have had Mr. Gasque as one of my teachers during my years growing up at Heathwood Hall. But Jimmy Gasque and his wife Betty are also known in their neighborhood and to friends and family for their wonderful garden. In this issue, Margaret Clay takes us on a tour of their gardens and gives us some insider secrets to their colorful oasis. Enjoy this issue of Columbia Metropolitan Home. Sincerely,
Publisher
Henry Clay e d i to r
Emily Tinch A SSO C I ATE EDITOR e d i to r i a l A rt D i r e c to r
Robyn Culbertson a d v e rt i s i n g A rt D i r e c to r
Dennis Craighead Design SENIOR A DVERTISING E X E C UTIVE
Shawn Coward A DVERTISING s a l e s
Emily Clay, Margaret Clay production manager
Nancy Lambert INTERN s
Allyson Seitzer, Ravenel Godbold Columbia Metropolitan Home is published by Clay Publishing, Inc., 3700 Forest Drive, Suite 106, Columbia, S.C. 29204. Copyright© Columbia Metropolitan 2011. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Advertising rates available upon request. The publishers are not responsible for the comments of authors or for unsolicited manuscripts.
About the cover: Lake Carolina hosts the 2011 Parade of Homes in the Peninsula neighborhood Photography courtesy of Lake Carolina
Emily S. Tinch
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2011 Parade of Homes at Lake Carolina After a two-year hiatus, The Parade of Homes makes a stunning comeback By Sam Morton Association of Greater Columbia, says the return of the Parade of Homes after a two-year layoff is a significant happening for builders and potential homebuyers. “The first Parade was in 1985, and we held one every year consecutively until 2008. It has grown in popularity every year and has become one of the most well-attended new home events in South Carolina.” It was in 2008, of course that the real estate bubble burst along with the national economy, circumstances that made the mere prospect of home ownership dicey and brought the construction of custom and luxury homes to a near standstill. But there are many silver linings hidden among the dark clouds, and
photography courtesy of lake carolina
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luxury home is just that — a custom-built structure with every conceivable amenity, from crown mouldings to hardwired sound systems. But the 2011 Parade of Homes may be remarkable for what it is not — a show of excess. The five homes in this year’s Parade don’t feature wine cellars, saunas or theater rooms like the homes in the 2008 event. They are functional homes; extremely well built and well appointed, but functional. The average square footage (3,000 to 4,000 square feet) is lower than in previous Parades as is the average price point per home. Earl McLeod, longtime executive director of the Home Builders
Lake Carolina, site of the 2011 Parade of Homes, offers its residents many options for boating, fishing and swimming.
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some of the brightest are this year’s Parade homes. Constructed by some of the most well-respected builders in the Southeast, these homes display grandeur and superior craftsmanship. “We have five brand new homes all within a block of each other,” Earl says. “People love going through beautiful, fully-furnished homes that showcase the work of professional builders, designers and landscapers. They get to see new features, new technologies and the latest building techniques. It’s just a nice way to spend a couple of hours.” Built in to this year’s Parade are special daily events such as a local art exhibit, a merchants’ day, children’s activities, nature walks, cycling events and Muffins & Mimosas on Mother’s Day, May 8. This year’s Parade is located in The Peninsula neighborhood at Lake Carolina. Voted Community of the Year for 10 years running, Lake Carolina is a master planned community with 36 distinct neighborhoods, miles of waterfront and lake view homes, and a town center and Village Green for shopping and dining. The community boasts its own YMCA, walking trails galore, soothingly landscaped easements and common areas, and virtually unlimited opportunities for boating, fishing and swimming. Construction in The Peninsula began six years ago, and 115 homes have been completed to date. The final phase consists of 31 lots, with 27 remaining. The Peninsula is currently Lake Carolina’s only gated community, where residents enjoy private pool access and a private day dock. The Parade of Homes will be open to the public May 7 through 22 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. Mothers Morning Out will be held on May 9, 11 and 18, and the Parade will open at 10 a.m. For more information, log onto the website for the Home Builders Association of Greater Columbia at www.columbiabuilders.com, visit www.paradeofhomescolumbia.com or search Facebook for the public event page, “Parade of Homes 2011 at Lake Carolina.”
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Home #1
Heavenly Bliss by Capogrossi Construction, Inc. By Sam Morton / Rendering by Lenker Design Capogrossi Construction, led by president Jeff Capogrossi, is celebrating its 25th year in business, and this home is the company’s 11th Parade of Homes entry. This year’s home is approximately 3,800 square feet with four bedrooms and four-anda-half baths. It features a covered front porch, private screen porch and raised brick patio. Interior design is by Bonnie Younginer of the Cobb/ Younginer Group. Her touches are complemented by fabulous custom designed children’s bedrooms by
Baby Furniture Plus. Capogrossi Construction Inc. has a winning tradition and excellent reputation with quality constructed singlefamily residences. Capogrossi Construction Inc. builds approximately 10 homes a year, ranging in size from 2,000 to 5,000 square feet. Each home features the quality craftsmanship and attention to detail that has become a trademark of the houses he builds. They also offer exceptional value with creative floor plans, elegant designs and a variety of special features.
Jeffrey Capogrossi, Capogrossi Construction
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Home #1 Fast Facts Heavenly Bliss By Capogrossi Construction (803) 865-3367 Sales by Lake Carolina Properties, LLC (803) 736-5253 4 bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms 3,850 square feet • Brick, stone and shake exterior • Dining room boasts hardwood floor, decorative ceiling and custom painted walls by B. A. Hohman • Great room includes vaulted ceiling, fireplace with custom bookshelves, dry bar with frosted glass backsplash and decorative wine rack, wine cellar and beer refrigerator • Kitchen includes custom cabinets, granite countertops and exquisite mosaic blend backsplash • Kitchen also includes keeping room with fireplace, vaulted ceiling and access to patio • Owners’ suite includes trey ceiling with lighted dome, sitting area and hardwood floor • Master bath is a relaxing retreat including full body porcelain tile floor, rippled glass accent in shower and tub backsplash, tiled shower with frameless glass shower enclosure, air bubble tub, vaulted ceiling and large closet • Guest bedroom/retreat with private bath • Fabulous custom-designed children’s bedrooms, with airplane theme for boy and beautiful girl’s nursery • Area upstairs with built-in desk for study or work • Large finished room over the garage with surround sound • Elaborate trim and custom built-ins along with solid core doors throughout home • 3 car garage • Natural gas
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Home #2
The Lexington by Essex Homes Southeast By Sam Morton / Rendering by Lenker Design During recent economic challenges, Karl Haslinger, owner/ CEO of Essex Homes Southeast, went back to the drawing board to create a product that would offer homebuyers an affordable option with the features they desired. In 2010, the all-brick Hometown Collection was introduced, starting in the low $200s. The Lexington is part of this collection and has been so well received by the real estate community and prospective homebuyers that it accounted for more than 60 sales during 2010. The Lexington features more than 4,100 square feet with five bedrooms, four and a half baths, a media room and bonus room. The style of this home appeals to several different families because of the size and versatility of its design. It includes a private
downstairs guest suite that is perfect for visitors or in-laws. The upstairs provides ample room for growing families, working families and/or multiple entertaining areas. The Essex Homes Southeast design team, Trina Haslinger and Gwen Ehlers, worked with Richard Couture of Whit-Ash to create a new age design with traditional values, focused around the lifestyle and cutting edge style of today’s families. The three designers blended their different ideas into a unique vision to create a home with soft colors, rich woods and comfortable fabrics. The Lexington is just one example of why Karl and Essex Homes Southeast received the Regal Award Builder Executive of the Year three years in a row.
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Home #2 Fast Facts The Lexington By Essex Homes Southeast (803) 356-8301 Sales by Lake Carolina Properties, LLC, (803) 736-5253 and Doris Edwards/Donna Stevens, (803) 237-8305/(803) 960-3456 5 bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms 4,120 square feet • Stone and brick exterior • Outdoor living area with covered porch • Multi-purpose media room with built-in bookcases • Laundry room designed with ample storage and folding area • Hand-scraped hardwood flooring throughout downstairs living area • Custom trim package with stained cabinetry and granite countertops in kitchen and hall baths • Butler’s pantry with wet bar and wine storage • Downstairs guest suite features trey ceiling and private bath with tiled shower • Whole house audio with multi-point volume control • Owner’s suite features barrel vault ceiling with vaulted sitting room and customdesigned closet • Owner’s suite bath has stained cabinetry, Carrarra marble, tiled shower with rainhead and jets • Coffered ceilings with custom trim detail in the dining and family rooms • Multi-functional kitchen with large walkin pantry and family workstation • Grand foyer with double glass door entry, 20 foot ceilings and custom trim detail • More than 4,100 square feet with room versatility to accommodate any lifestyle w w w. c o l u m b i a m e t ro . c o m
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Home #3
Huntwick Place by Hallmark Homes International, Inc. By Sam Morton / Rendering by Lenker Design Hallmark Homes International, led by president David Tuttle, has more than 20 years of custom home building experience in the Midlands. Huntwick Place stands out for its welcoming – and unique – porte cochère, which serves as both a covered entry into the home and a gateway to a large parking area and three car garage. The front of the home is set off by columns, shaker siding and metal roofing over the front window and porch. Huntwick Place boasts an open floor plan with sight lines that allow a view from the front door to the back yard. A generously sized master suite stretches
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the length of the house downstairs and features his-and-hers walk in closets. Leading in from the garage is a mudroom, a flex storage room and a full-size laundry. Off the living area is a sweeping staircase that leads to a balcony overlooking the family room with its two-story ceiling. The balcony spans the breadth of the home and leads to two additional bedrooms that share a full bath and a finished room over the garage that could serve as a game room, office space, media room or storage. A third bedroom suite upstairs features an additional laundry space in the large walk-in closet.
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Home #3 Fast Facts Huntwick Place By Hallmark Homes International (803) 736-5253 Sales by Lake Carolina Properties, LLC (803) 736-5253 4 bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms 3,337+ square feet • Owners’ suite on main level • 3 secondary bedrooms on second level • 1.5 baths on main level, 2 private guest baths on second level • Open great room with dramatic ceilings • Formal dining plus breakfast area • Built-in beverage bar and wine bar • Large mudroom and storage area with separate laundry room • 10 foot ceilings first floor, 9 foot second, plus vaults • Oversized family play/media room on second level with wet bar, microwave and beverage refrigerator • Open gallery with iron rails • Secondary stackable laundry in guest suite • 3 car garage • Porte-cochère
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Home #4
The Berkshire Mungo Homes/Sovereign Homes By Sam Morton / Rendering by Keith Floyd With its geometric lines and stone Star-certified home constructed of green exterior, Mungo Homes/Sovereign Homes building materials, and it carries a green gave this home an almost Tudor look. building certification. At 3,200 square feet, Except for the roomy tiled laundry, the the home has three bedrooms and threehouse has hardwoods throughout. The and-a-half baths plus a bonus room. The house’s fireplace is made of fieldstone, as is kitchen serves as an entertainment hub, a tall arched entryway that mirrors the front and a large island separates the cooking area from the breakfast nook, portico and leads from which rests within a bay the foyer to the main window. living space. All the The den ceiling is floors on the porches coffered, and each eightare made from matching foot-tall interior door fieldstone as well. extends nearly to the The living room is ceiling in each room. accented by a marvelous For outdoor living, barreled ceiling, and the house includes a the entire home is screened porch and a wired for television, separate patio with a communications and cozy fire pit. security systems. The Berkshire is an Energy Steven Mungo, Stewart Mungo, principals, The Mungo Companies CH22 C o lu m b i a M e t ro p o l i ta n
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Home #4 Fast Facts The Berkshire By Mungo Homes/Sovereign Homes (803) 749-9000 Sales by Sovereign Homes (803) 513-1964 4 bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms 3,231 square feet • Arts and crafts style stone, brick and fiber cement siding exterior • Expansive floor plan with master bedroom downstairs and 3-car garage • Stone arch in foyer and floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace • Arts and crafts style interior trim details • Beadboard barrel vaulted ceiling in the living room • Custom wainscoting, large crown moulding and trimmed boxed ceiling in dining room • Hand-sculpted hardwood floors in public areas and oak stairs • Dramatic designer kitchen with island featuring GE Café® appliances • Granite in kitchen, laundry room and all baths • 14-foot ceiling with beams in the great room, 10-foot ceilings with 8-foot doors downstairs, boxed ceiling in gracious master bedroom • Specialty tile work in all bathrooms • Custom frameless shower door, elegant custom closet and designer mirrors in the master bath • Beautiful landscaping, including a water feature in the backyard with a fire pit, screened porch and patio • Distributed audio, central vacuum, security system and structured wiring • Custom-built kid’s dream tree house in bonus room • Energy Star® and green features
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Home #5
Wilson Bridge by Hallmark Homes International, Inc. By Sam Morton / Rendering by Lenker Design Hallmark Homes International gave this home an English countryside feel with a stone and wood siding exterior and tall windows that allow for plenty of sunlight to brighten the interior. The keeping room has a vaulted ceiling and an inviting fireplace, and it adjoins a living room whose 20-foot ceiling gives it an open feel. This home lends itself to multigenerational living. The main floor features the master suite, plus two guest bedrooms. The master bedroom’s
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focal point is a large bay window overlooking the lawn, and a private entrance leads to the rear covered porch with a screen room option. The master bath contains both a soaking tub and a spa shower, as well as a separate water closet. Upstairs are two additional bedrooms and a full bath, plus an unfinished bonus room and storage space. One of the rooms could double as a study, media room or game room.
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Home #5 Fast Facts Wilson Bridge By Hallmark Homes International (803) 736-5253 Sales by Lake Carolina Properties, LLC (803) 736-5253 4+ bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms 3,400+/- or 3,700 +/- square feet with bonus • Owner suite on main level • 3 guest bedrooms on second level • 2.5 baths main level, 1 bath second level • Relaxation room on second level • Music room with 10 foot ceiling • Vaulted family room with built-ins • Vaulted keeping room • 2 fireplaces with gas logs • Formal dining with 10 foot ceiling • Breakfast area with trey ceiling • Room over garage • Extended garage • Covered patio with automatic screen enclosure option included • Bay window sitting area in owner’s suite • Picture perfect outdoor seating area
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Columbia Metropolitan Home
Rebecca Rhodes and her family moved back into her childhood home several years ago.
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You Can Go Home Again Four Columbians move back to their childhood homes By Melissa Andrews / Photography by Robert Clark
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hen Thomas Wolfe said you can’t go home again, he obviously hadn’t been to Columbia. There is something about our beautiful city that pulls many people back to their childhood homes. Maybe it’s pure happenstance, perhaps it makes financial sense, or maybe some just can’t bear to see anyone else living in the homes that hold all of their childhood memories.
For Walker Williams, the timing was right for all involved. His parents were looking for a home with a bedroom on the first floor, and he and his wife, Laura, were considering expanding their family. “We knew we were going to have to find a larger house if we wanted to grow our family,” says Walker. “And my parents looking to move was the perfect catalyst. We moved into their house, which was much larger than the
one we had been living in. We begged, borrowed and stole to fill up the rooms and didn’t make too many immediate changes.” But as the years have passed, Walker and Laura have filled those rooms with beautiful furniture and memories of their own. Katherine Anderson and her mother made a fair trade. Katherine and her boys moved into her mother’s larger house down the street and her mother,
Arthur Gudmundson and his wife, Marlow, have renovated the kitchen in his childhood home, but it still has the same original elements.
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who was looking to downsize, moved into Katherine’s smaller home. “My children were getting bigger by the instant, and we were quickly outgrowing our house,” Katherine says. “My mother said, ‘I have
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this big house and you have all of those boys, why don’t we trade?’” Katherine loved the idea. “My parents had bought the house when I was six years old. It’s a happy place with wonderful memories,
Katherine Anderson traded homes with her mother to accomodate her three teenage sons.
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Walker Williams and his wife, Laura, moved into his childhood home to make room for their growing family.
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and I love the neighborhood.” The same stands true for Rebecca Rhodes. Her mother also was looking to downsize to a home with just one floor, and moving back into her childhood
home was an easy decision for Rebecca and her husband, Jim. “I just couldn’t take the thought of anyone else living in my home. I loved it that much.” Arthur Gudmundson purchased his
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brother’s share of the house their mother had given them. The home is now a labor of love. “When you live in an old house, you need to be ready to do some work. I know every nook and cranny of this house, and I don’t mind taking the time to work on it.” Arthur and his wife, Marlow, completely renovated the kitchen and made various cosmetic changes, but many of the original elements of the home are still in place, right down to the screens in the window – a testament to the strong bones of older Columbia homes. While the experiences of moving back into a childhood home are very different for each person, there are certain common threads you should consider when making such a decision. First and foremost, for these families, it was important not to change the character of the house, the charm that drew them to it. The simple task of changing paint colors and replacing wallpaper can make a dramatic difference and give the home a completely different look and feel. But keeping that in mind, each family was sure to take steps to make the home their own. Fo r i n s t a n c e , t h e R h o d e s a n d Williams families enlisted the help of Nan Sammataro of In Home Design. Rebecca wasn’t afraid to make changes that would work better for her family, knocking out a wall here and there. But again, the overall feel of the home remained intact. She says, “The changes we made for our family made it our home, as well as the people in it. I have the familiarity of growing up there, but it still feels like ours. It’s a good mix.” Laura agrees. “Changing the colors and bringing in your own things is important. But you have to make sure it’s what you want for your family,” she says. Her husband adds, “Don’t move into a house just because it’s the house you grew up in. Move in because you want it to be your home.” The Anderson family enlarged their kitchen – a necessity with three teenage boys – but was careful not to erase the appeal of the house. Katherine, an interior designer herself and owner of Katherine J. Anderson Design/Interiors, says to use caution when making those initial changes. “Go slowly. You might move in, change things quickly and zap the whole reason why you loved the house in the first place,” she says. For the Gudmundsons, their personal touch has come through the continued CH30 C o lu m b i a M e t ro p o l i ta n
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restoration and updating of the house. But sometimes, the way the house was is the way it should be. Arthur’s mother had invited an interior decorator into the home many years back for some design assistance. As you would expect, Arthur and his wife moved furniture and art work to different places when they moved in. Later, they brought their own interior decorator, Jenny Reynolds, to the home, and she moved every piece of furniture back to where the original designer had placed it. “Everything went back to where it was,” laughed Arthur. “My mother could have walked back in the home and thought it was still hers.” Certainly, purchasing a house is no small endeavor. It’s a true business transaction and should be treated as such. Walker says, “If you allow feelings and family desires to get in the way, it has the potential to hurt both parties financially. If you buy your parents’ home for less than it is worth, they have less money in retirement. If you pay more than you can afford, then you could carry an unnecessary burden for years to come. You have to make sure that the transaction is the right decision for both parties.” The Rhodes family made sure they knew the true value of the house and ensured the exchange was fair for all involved. And for those looking to move into an older house, keep in mind renovations and changes will be inevitable. “Make sure you save money so that you can fix up the house the way you want it to be, so that you can make it your home,” advises Arthur. One thing is for certain, moving into your childhood home can blend old memories with new. “It’s great because it brings you back to your childhood, but at the same time you create your own family memories,” says Rebecca. And memories and stories are what keep generations alive. As Walker reflects, “When anyone asks me about living in my childhood home, I say the coolest part is when something happens. If my child trips on a root and skins his knee, I can say, ‘You know, I tripped on that very same root when I was a child and skinned my knee the same way. And here’s the scar.’ They think that’s very cool.” And with a story like that, the wounds heal that much quicker. Yes, in Columbia, you can always go home again. w w w. c o l u m b i a m e t ro . c o m
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Columbia Metropolitan Home
Feeling God’s Earth in Your Hands
Betty and Jimmy Gasque’s passion for life in the garden By Margaret Clay / Photography by Emily Clay
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etty and Jimmy Gasque s a y, “ I n s i d e e v e r y garden is a glimpse of paradise,” and their garden is just that. Tucked away in Forest Acres, the small slice of heaven where the Gasques and their dog, Sally, reside simply bursts with flowers. Although the
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beginnings of the remarkable garden were there upon arrival, such as the now 30-foot tall Camellia bushes and many of the multi-colored azaleas, Heathwood Hall’s renowned English teacher and his wife have been transforming their front and back yards into
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Betty and Jimmy Gasque, with their dog Sally, have transformed their yard into a gardener’s paradise.
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kiss of the sun for pardon, T h e s o ng o f t h e birds for mirth, One is nearer God’s heart in a garden Than anywhere else on earth.
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exquisite gardens since the spring of 1962. “If you don’t work in your own yard, you will never appreciate it,” explains Jimmy. Both Betty’s and Jimmy’s mothers were ardent gardeners, so they claim their passion was just bred into their hearts. In fact, they have irises blooming from both of their mothers’ gardens, and a phlox from Jimmy’s grandmother’s garden. However, a six-week summer trip to England in 1985 inspired them to take their garden to the next level. The Gasques have organized their garden into a myriad of small “rooms” which flow from one to another. The 4th of July Garden explodes with flowers of patriotic hues, and the South Carolina Garden contains the botanical favorites of our state. The mountain garden is like stepping into the upstate with its beautiful rhododendron and a hemlock tree from Linville; they even have a fountain to simulate a babbling mountain stream. Betty takes much care in the summer time to convince these plants that they are not far from home. She regularly sprays the hemlock tree down to emulate the mountain dew. They have a section for vegetables as well — arugula and mustard greens, bell peppers and tomatoes. They take pleasure in entertaining dinner guests with edible flowers, like pansies or nasturtiums, to top off salads. Because there are few straight lines in nature, the Gasques use interesting curves in their garden. “We try to cultivate every inch of our lot,” smiles Betty. Jimmy maintains that the upkeep on grass is more difficult than flowers, and through the years he has gradually converted most of the grassy areas to rooms of the garden. In front of their house, the Gasques have a tulip poplar, a great-grandchild from the tree growing at Thomas Jefferson’s grave in Monticello. Remarkably, Sally has never disturbed anything in the garden … well, except maybe digging up a few daffodils recently in order to retrieve bone meal, a dog-delicacy! Betty also has a passion for ornithology and attracts over 25 varieties of birds to their garden, of which the white throated sparrow is her absolute favorite! This migratory bird arrives just about the time of Betty’s birthday each year in October and typically waits until just after Jimmy’s birthday in April to depart northward. The Gasques primarily shop at Mill Creek Greenhouses, their “gardening Mecca.” “We drive up sometimes with no idea of what we are shopping for, but we always leave with a car full!” laughs Betty. “I have gone there and found things I
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had only heard about. I was able to find Faulkner’s tall, lemon verbena, which smells ‘stronger than courage,’” says Jimmy. “My favorite flower is the state fair zinnia,” states Betty, “and last year some grew taller than I am.” This annual flower comes in about every color and is lovely to mix in with daisies. To Jimmy, his garden is like his classroom — the effort of cultivating each individual and then reaping the joy of their producing is quite rewarding. “I have encouraged my flowers verbally when they seem to need it, telling them that I know they can make it,” says Jimmy, supporting the popular idea of talking to one’s plants. “Although,” he admits, “I don’t think you would want to hear what I said to the last set of hybrid tea roses that we finally had to get rid of — I was not very nice. I had begged and begged them to grow and they just wouldn’t, so the only roses we have now are old roses.” Betty laughs, “I don’t know that I have ever indulged in speaking to any of the flowers.” Instead, when a particular plant is not doing so well, Betty employs George Washington Carver’s tactic of a plant hospital. This entails moving the plant to a new environment with different sun exposure and giving it lots of attention, such as extra water. Betty admits her favorite parts of gardening range from weeding and just digging her hands into the dirt, to cutting the flowers for the house or to share with friends. “You just have to share it; it is such a joy!” she exclaims. It is rare that Betty misses a chance to be in the garden as most days she spends a portion of her time there -- sometimes up to five hours throughout the day. “I just can’t wait to get into it, and it’s always hard to come out of our paradise!” she says. “I am renewed when I am working in my garden: digging, pruning, deadheading, moving, watering. Later, the glory explodes with new life to refresh everyone I know.” “It is imperative to feel God’s earth in your hands,” asserts Jimmy. “I just love being on the ground. As Dorothy Gurney wrote: ‘The kiss of the sun for pardon, the song of the birds for mirth. One is nearer God’s heart in a garden than anywhere else on earth.’” However, Jimmy claims, “Nothing puts me in a garden the way that Gerard Manley Hopkins’ poem Spring does.” Nothing is so beautiful as spring— When weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush; .................................. What is all this juice and all this joy? A strain of the earth’s sweet being in the beginning In Eden garden. The Gasques’ most important success tip is to have a passion and love for your garden: “It can’t be toil to you but should be passion and love, or you won’t enjoy any of it. There is such life in the garden!”
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New to the neighborhood?
New Home Communities indicates a natural gas community
1. Allan’s Mill Price Range of New Homes: $100s - $160s School District: Richland 2 Palmetto Homes & Land Realty, LLC Mark Wright, (803) 404-1983 www.candcbuilders.com Directions: Take Percival Rd. to Smallwood. Turn left on Old Percival Rd. Allan’s Mill is on the right. 2. Chelsea Park Price Range of New Homes: $179,900 - $204,900 School District: Lexington Richland 5 Rymarc Homes (803) 732-0118 www.rymarc.com Directions: Take I-26 West to exit 97 for Hwy 176/Peak. Take an immediate right on Julius Richardson. Proceed .7 miles to end. Turn right at West Shadygrove. The Chelsea Park entrance is .2 miles on left. Turn left into Chelsea Park on Heathwood. Turn right on Newton Rd., and the new phase is straight ahead. 3. Concord Park Price Range of New Homes: $160s School District: Lexington 2 C and C Builders of Columbia Tina Horne, (803) 736-5008
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www.candcbuilders.com Directions: Take I-77 to exit 2 for 12th St. Extension. Turn left on Taylor Rd. behind Busbee Middle School. 4. Heath Pond Price Range of New Homes: $140s - $250s School District: Kershaw Palmetto Homes & Land Realty, LLC Diane Nevitt, (803) 414-3945; Dan Long, (803) 917-0947 www.DianeNevitt.com Directions: Take I-20 East to exit 87 for White Pond/Elgin. Turn left onto White Pond Rd., then left onto Larry Jeffers Rd. Heath Pond is ahead on the right. 5. The Homestead Subdivision Price Range of New Homes: $130s - $200s School District: Richland 2 EXIT Real Estate Solutions Richard Carr, (803) 421-9630 www.ExitColumbiaSC.com Directions: Take I-77 North to Farrow Rd. North. Turn right onto Hardscrabble, then right onto North Brickyard. Homestead Subdivision is on the left. 6. Jacobs Creek Price Range of New Homes: $124,900 - $224,900
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School District: Richland 2 Great Southern Homes RMS – Realty & Marketing Services Robert Penny, (803) 360-9165 www.gshomes.gs Directions: Take I-20 East to exit 82 for Spears Creek Church Rd. Turn left onto Spears Creek Church Rd. Continue for three miles and cross Two Notch Rd. Jacob’s Creek will be approximately 1/2 mile ahead on the right. Follow signs to the new model home. 7. Lake Frances Price Range of New Homes: $169,900 - $194,900 School District: Lexington 1 Rymarc Homes (803) 315-6409 www.rymarc.com Directions: Take I-20 to exit 55 for Hwy 6 East. Turn right at Hwy 6 East/S. Lake Dr., and continue for 3.6 miles. Turn left at Platt Springs Rd., and continue for 3.5 miles. Take a sharp right at Ramblin Rd., and go .5 mile. Turn right into Lake Frances on Lake Frances Way. 8. Lexington Villas Price Range of New Homes: $184,900 - $273,900 School District: Lexington 1
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Epcon Communities Jennah Wells, (803) 520-4381 www.LexingtonVillas.com Directions: Take I-20 West to exit 61 for Hwy 378/Sunset Blvd. Turn right, and go four miles toward Lake Murray. Turn right onto Whiteford Way. Lexington Villas will be ahead on the left. 9. The Lofts at Printers Square Price Range of New Homes: $749,000 - $1,550,000 School District: Richland 1 Coldwell Banker United, Realtors® Danny & Karen Hood, (803) 227-3220 or (803) 227-3221 www.LoftsAtPrintersSquare.com Directions: In the Vista, the Lofts at Printers Square are at the corner of Lady and Pulaski streets. 10. LongCreek Plantation Price Range of New Homes: $250,000 - $650,000 School District: Richland 2 Plantation Properties (803) 754-2071 www.longcreekplantation.com Directions: Take I-77 North to the Killian Rd. exit, and turn right. Follow the signs to LongCreek Plantation. 11. Peach Grove Villas Price Range of New Homes: $184,900 - $273,900 School District: Richland 2 Epcon Communities Levi Weisser, (803) 223-9545 www.PeachGroveVillas.com Directions: Take I-20 East to exit 80. Turn left onto Clemson Rd.
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Go 1.5 miles (towards the Village at Sandhill), and turn right onto Earth Rd. Peach Grove Villas is located on the right just before the entrance to Woodcreek Farms. 12. Pine Forest Price Range of New Homes: $120s - $180s School District: Kershaw Palmetto Homes & Land Realty, LLC Diane Nevitt, (803) 414-3945 www.candcbuilders.com Directions: Take I-20 East to the Elgin exit. Turn left onto White Pond Rd. Continue to the traffic light in Elgin, crossing Main St./ Hwy 1. Cross railroad tracks, and bear right onto Smyrna Rd. Pine Forest is on the left about a mile ahead. 13. Quail Creek Price Range of New Homes: $100s - $150s School District: Kershaw Palmetto Homes & Land Realty, LLC Diane Nevitt, (803) 414-3945 www.candcbuilders.com Directions: Take I-20 East to the Elgin exit. Turn left onto White Pond Rd. Continue to the traffic light in Elgin, crossing Main St./ Hwy 1. Cross railroad tracks, and bear right onto Smyrna Rd. Turn right onto Wildwood Ln., and then left onto Cook Rd. then left into Quail Creek community. 14. Rabon’s Farm Price Range of New Homes: $79,900 - $159,900 School District: Richland 2 Great Southern Homes RMS – Realty & Marketing Services
Lauren Sawyer, (803) 360-4327; Sandy Cleaves, (803) 622-9065 www.gshomes.gs Directions: Take I-77 North to Two Notch Rd. exit. Turn right onto Two Notch, then left onto Rabon Rd. Turn right onto Flora Dr. Rabon’s Farm is .5 mile ahead on the right. Take second entrance, and model home is on the left. 15. Rutledge Place Price Range of New Homes: $125,000 - $225,000 School District: Kershaw Palmetto Homes & Land Realty, LLC Barbara Jordan, (803) 243-0524; Steve King, (803) 600-9414 www.barbarajordan.homesandland.com Directions: Take I-20 East to exit 98. Turn left onto Hwy 521 North. Continue 5.7 miles through Camden. Rutledge Place is ahead on the left on Edinburgh Castle Rd. 16. Saluda River Club Price Range of New Homes: Townhomes from the $200s; Craftsman Homes from the $300s; Executive Homes from the $500s; Village District Homesites from the $60s; River District Homesites from $113,900 School District: Lexington 1 Saluda River Club Edmund H. Monteith, Jr., (803) 358-3969 www.saludariverclub.com Directions: Take I-20 West to exit 61 for Hwy 378. Turn right, and take an immediate right onto Corley Mill Rd. The entrance to Saluda River Club is located 1.9 miles down Corley Mill Rd. on the right.
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17. South Brook Price Range of New Homes: $134,900 - $152,900 School District: Lexington 1 Rymarc Homes (803) 315-6409 www.rymarc.com Directions: Take I-20 West to exit 51. Turn left, and South Brook is on the left. 18. Spring Knoll Price Range of New Homes: $120s - $150s School District: Lexington 1 Thomas Shumpert, (803) 518-2588 www.candcbuilders.com Directions: Take I-20 West to Hwy 6. Turn left toward Red Bank/ Pelion. Go about 4 miles, and turn right onto Platt Springs Rd. Take the first road to the left, which is Brevard Rd. 19. Stoney Creek Price Range of New Homes: $220s - $280s School District: Lexington 1 ReMax Real Estate Consultants Thomas Shumpert, (803) 518-2588 www.candcbuilders.com Directions: Take Hwy 378 through Lexington, and turn right onto Wise Ferry Rd. Stoney Creek is ahead on the left. 20. Stonington Price Range of New Homes: $169,900 - $199,900 School District: Richland 2 Rymarc Homes (803) 732-0118 www.rymarc.com Directions: Take I-77 North to exit 24. Turn left onto Wilson Blvd. Stonington will be one mile on the right. 21. The Thomaston Subdivision Price Range of New Homes: $160s - $200s School District: Richland 2 EXIT Real Estate Solutions Richard Carr, (803) 421-9630 www.ExitColumbiaSC.com Directions: Take I-77 North to exit 22. Turn right onto Killian Rd., then left onto Longreen Pkwy. Thomaston Subdivision is on the left. 22. Wellesley Price Range of New Homes: $170,900 - $194,900 School District: Lexington 1 Rymarc Homes (803) 808-1201 www.rymarc.com Directions: Take I-20 West to exit 61 for US 378/ Lexington. Merge right on US 378, and turn left at the first light onto Ginny Ln. Continue to community ahead on the right. 23. Westcott Ridge Price Range of New Homes: $220s to $400,000 School District: Lexington/Richland 5 (Chapin) Russell & Jeffcoat Realtors, Inc. Brenda Berry, (803) 781-6552 www.westcottridge.com Directions: Take I-26 West to exit 97 for Hwy 176/Peak. Turn right onto Broad River Rd. Continue 1 mile, and Westcott Ridge is on the left.
This listing is provided by the Home Builders Association of Greater Columbia.
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