UPDATE 10/26/2022: A piece about Swan Lake's chocolate garden featuring MGs Sheryn Lavanish, their President, Jan Hilton and Fran Cecil aired on Columbia station wltx. Go to https://www.wltx.com/video/news/local/street-squad/sumter/preparing-gardens-for-the-winter-months/101-dc33d386-b93d-4612-9c9c-3422de121a7a .
And the Secret is...........
As a passionate wildlife photographer, I was drawn to the gardens in Sumter recently, and happily discovered that there's a lot more than swans, wildlife, and irises at this pristinely landscaped respite.
This is what a Mute Swan looks like, after a hard days work at Swan Lake in Sumter, South Carolina. Normally we're shown photos of pristine white, perfectly groomed swans. The reality is though, feeding in murky nutrient rich water and tipping up to harvest vegetation from the mud on the bottom takes its toll on a bird's coiffure.
Sheryn LaVanish, certified Master Gardener
South Carolina Master Gardeners like Sheryn LaVanish have used their education and a lot of perspiration and determination to develop and maintain three specialty gardens there. The Butterfly Garden, the Chocolate Garden, and the expansive Sensory Garden exemplify the dedication, creativity, teamwork, and ol' fashun' hard work by the MGs, the city of Sumter, and the dedicated staff at the Gardens.
I was first drawn to the Chocolate Garden because of the alluringly delicious name, and I discovered - not surprisingly, also the intriguing plants thanks to Sheryn. Plants that are new to me like the towering seven-foot-tall Moulin Rouge Sunflowers, and Baptisia 'chocolate chip,' which is actually a false indigo I learned.
Her idea for the Chocolate Garden began says Sheryn, at one of the monthly MGs meeting after she completed the Master Gardener program offered at Clemson in 2008. She said she learned about the Chocolate Flower Farm in Washington state from a fellow Master Gardener, Ruth Ann Bigger and her quest to create this unique and inspiring chocolate garden at Swan Lake was launched.
Sheryn has packed the intriguing garden with all things chocolate, and when she decided to expand it to include a raised bed vegetable garden, once again she was on the hunt for new and unique plants of the chocolate persuasion. She said she ordered many of the seeds from the Chocolate Flower Farm to supply her with the unique veggies she envisioned to add even more intrigue to the garden. Can you imagine making your daily mundane salad and then being surprised with juicy bites of Chocolate Green Peppers and Chocolate Cherry Tomatoes, which Sheryn says are delightfully sweeter to her.
You'll walk under the Akebiua Quinate Vine climbing the arbor at the garden's entrance and Sheryn pointed out that the Berlandiera flowers there smell especially chocolatey. All your senses are on point as you peruse the garden and a quick pinch of a Chocolate Mint leaf released a smell that took me back to steaming cups of peppermint cocoa at Christmas time.
Nestled near the sweet smells wafting through the Chocolate Garden, is the very large and impressive Braille Garden, now known as the Sensory Garden.
Swan lake isn't only filled with beauty, it's also full of interesting history and lore. Sheryn filled me in that this one was created in 1994 by a Boy Scout working toward his eagle scout badge. She said Sue Timmons was in charge of the Swan Lake greenhouse back then and helped him extensively in choosing its foundation plants and trees. Plants are identified in the Sensory Garden as they are in other areas, but the signs also include braille descriptions under the text. It flourishes now with a lot of hard work by fellow MGs, Phil Landfried and Mary Jean Dowling. Sheryn is constantly working to discover and include new curiosities in the garden, so what you see one month, may change the next. Just recently, she added 3 more plants after visiting the plant sale at Darla Moore Farm in Lake City.
One recent addition is a Chocolate Variegated Coleus that looks to me like she slipped it under a chocolate fountain for a few drizzles on her way in to work her magic in the garden. The Bush Basil, which curiously looks like chocolatey Hydrangeas with Basil leaves to me, and dark Chocolate Petunias also piqued her interest and voila! She immediately picked them up and brought them to the garden to plant.
Sheryn has over 13 years under her belt as a Master Gardener. Her journey began when Amanda McNulty, a mutual friend of ours and Clemson Extension Agent taught Sharon's MG class and inspired her to become the valuable asset and volunteer she is in her field today.
Amanda is now the host and executive producer of "Making It Grow," a tv show on SCETV that's helped so many of us create the gardens of our dreams. And to attempt to ally with the exciting yet challenging South Carolina climate we (are trying to) love :).
Sheryn's not the only MG whose inspiration and expertise are evident at the gardens. "Carman Jones has done so much to make this garden a destination spot for prom pictures," (and more) Sheryn says, "by procuring the darling butterfly bench, the informative signs, and 3 beds full of plants that butterflies prefer to eat and for procreation."
I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the dedicated volunteers in another important group, The Friends of Swan Lake, that have been invaluable in helping the MGs with plants, seeds, and soil amendments according to Sheryn. "As is the greenhouse propagator who carefully germinates and propagates the seeds and clippings that ultimately flourish under the watchful eye and expertise of the Master Gardeners," she adds.
While you meander the paths on this beautiful acreage, you'll enjoy towering trees, over 120 varieties of iris, all 8 species of swans and other waterfowl that swim contentedly alongside in what "Southern Living" magazine called a "beautiful mistake."
THESE AREN'T YOUR GRAMMA'S GARDENS....... or maybe they are, since the park began in 1927, evolving into what it is today. The gardens offer year-round opportunities with something different to delight your senses and your curiosity for every season, so it's on my list now to frequent.
As I said in my last post about the Swan Lake gardens, binoculars aren't necessary but will enhance your experience. I chose to use my 200 mm Nikkor lens to capture the beauty and seclusion around this Great Blue Heron nest. A 300mm or 400mm lens would make a nice tight, and closer shot if that's your preference. Beginning in late Spring, you should definitely keep your eyes to the sky, as noted by this Heron parent feeding one chick while the other eagerly awaits it's turn.
Keep your eyes peeled on the water too, as the garden has become a favorite for numerous species of dragon flies that in some cultures are believed to bring good luck and prosperity. The rich water here is critical for their reproduction and perching on a high dry branch will ensure good hunting for these aerial predators so just in case, make a wish or two when you spot them.
The park is easy to spot, at 822 W. Liberty Street in Sumter and there's free parking on site.
Swan Lake and Gardens is testament to the power of teamwork
One has to marvel that a Sumter businessman's dream of creating a mere respite with a fishpond from a wily, overgrown Cypress Swamp has evolved into this work of art for almost a century. Nature now abounds and thrives everywhere you look. His donation has become the popular attraction it is today due in large part to the never-ending hard work, love, and devotion of the Master Gardeners of Sumter, South Carolina.
If you're like me and love to research, here are some links to take your journey even farther into the joy of exploring nature.
https://www.facebook.com/pg/makingitgrow/posts/ will offer invaluable and inspirational gardening and horticulture tips here on Making It Grow's facebook page. Amanda NcNulty, Host and Executive Producer of the popular tv series has become famous and perhaps just a bit infamous for her beautiful and sometimes admittedly outrageous floriated hats, also included here. They are guaranteed to brighten everyone's day and make even the most cynical smile.
If you’re interested in more information about the Master
Gardener program, visit: https://www.clemson.edu/extension/mg/history.html
https://www.sumtersc.gov/swanlake/friends
will give you information about becoming a member or donating to the Friends of
Swan Lake nonprofit.
To learn more about chocolate gardening and procuring the delightful seeds and plants that inspired Sheryn, the Chocolate Flower Farm site can be viewed at: https://www.chocolateflowerfarm.com
More links are listed on the previous post on my blog here as well.
Happy exploring!
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