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By Marilyn Campbell

The Connection

As the first few weeks of fall unfold,carrying with them the promise ofrich and vibrant colors, many local

residents are starting to plan their fall gar-dens, both ornamental and edible. Pruningand and overall garden cleanup will makeway for fall plants. In fact, this is the per-fect time to clear away summer foliage andplant, horticulture gurus said.

“Because the ground is still warm and airis cool, there is less transplant shock forplants when you take them out of the con-tainer to plant them,” said Kelly Grimes ofGood Earth Garden Market in Potomac, Md.“Now is a great time to put in a landscape.”

The first step is preparing the ground.“You have to amend the soil; that is mixingin compost and soil so the plants’ roots cangrab a hold of the soil with compost,” saidGrimes. “That really helps any planting.”

Katia Goffin of Katia Goffin Gardens inMcLean, Va., likens planning a garden toputting together a puzzle. “Everything hasto [look] like it belongs,” she said. “It’sabout designing your bed line so it enhancesyour property, versus ‘I stuck this in my gar-den and doesn’t it look good?’”

Take a few minutes and actually plan out

your garden because no matter what youdecide to plant for fall, an aesthetically ap-pealing garden starts with an effective strat-egy. “It is getting a good plan together,”Goffin said. “It is a question of scale andputting it together right. You have to look

Planning your autumn garden and yard.Planting for Fall

See Planting, Page 11

Home LifeStyle

Katia Goffin suggests mixing grasses with evergreens when planning a fall yard.

Photo courtesy of Katia Goffin Gardens

at your plot of land and decide where youwant plants to go and how you want it tolook.”

FOR DECORATIVE GARDENS andyards, mums and pansies are among fall’s

best flowering plants. “Mums need full sun-light to open and come in obvious, bold fallcolors,” said Grimes. “Pansies will take partsun, are a great color and will continue tobloom through spring.”

Potomac Almanac ❖ HomeLifeStyle Fall 2014 ❖ 3www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Doing Good via PotomacCountry House Tour

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POTOMACALMANAC

Home LifeStyle

By Marilyn Campbell

The Connection

From a petting zoo to silent auc-tions to tours of some of the area’smost magnificent homes, therewere activities for all ages at the

58th Annual Potomac Country House Tour& Festival last weekend.

The event is hosted by St. Francis Episco-pal Church in Potomac, and organized bythe Women of St. Francis. All proceeds fromthe tour and fesitval are distributed amongSt. Francis’ outreach partners, helping fundprograms that address homelessness, hun-ger, children’s and women’s issues, and el-der care.

“We had visitors from all over, includingNorth Carolina, with many of them com-menting on how they enjoyed the event, andhow gratifying it is knowing that all pro-ceeds go to such deserving charities,” saidSusan Dolan, chairwoman of the PotomacCountry House Tour & Festival.

The three-day event began with a previewparty and a silent auction on the eveningof Friday, Oct. 3. Saturday and Sunday werefilled with merriment for children, includ-ing a large slide, pirate ship moon bounce,35-foot Turbo Rush obstacle course, cottoncandy and ice cream. There was also a Dr.Doolittle Petting Zoo with a baby llama,bunnies and teacup pigs.

A midday barbeque luncheon held at St.Francis both Saturday and Sunday included

treats from Georgetown Cupcake and awide variety of boutiques selling items thatran the gamut from stationary to pottery.

More than 1,200 visitors toured NortonManor over two days, said BarbaraHeywood, president of the Women of St.

2,000-square-foot koi pond. The hometakes inspiration from the White House,Capitol and Palace of Versailles.

Frank Islam and Debbie Driesman,owners of Norton Manor, said they werehonored to open their home for thetour. “We wanted to extend our handto help St. Francis Parish because oftheir engagement and support of chari-table organizations, including MannaFood Center, Habitat for Humanity andInterfaith Works,” said Islam. “Wefirmly believe it’s a noble cause. We arealways reminded and guided by thephrase, ‘To whom much is given, muchis expected.’ … We were so fortunateto be able to share and give back to ourcommunity.”

Another home on the tour was Re-imagined Williamsburg Colonial, whichincludes a cedar-shingled silo, a laser-cut compass in the entryway floor andthree distinctive loft spaces accessed byindividual spiral staircases.

Also on the tour were the RoweHouse and a Potomac Contemporary.

The Wreath Love Carriage House wasa late addition to the tour. LindaHobbins, owner of Custom Wreaths ofPotomac/Wreath Love, which is locatedon the home’s lower level, transformedtwo levels of her workshop into a Scot-tish holiday wonderland with windows,doors, mantles and tabletops. She alsoadorned the bedrooms with Christmasdécor.

“Our tour, coupled with our boutiques,silent auction, luncheon and festival,generated record proceeds for our chari-ties,” said Heywood. “We couldn’t bemore pleased.”

Event raised recordproceeds for St.Francis EpiscopalCharities.

Photos courtesy of Potomac Country House Tour & Festival

Susan Dolan (left), who was chair of the Potomac Country House Tour &Festival, and Barbara Heywood both served as auctioneers at thePotomac Country House Tour & Festival’s live auction on Preview Night.

Francis. “The Women of St. Francis are ab-solutely thrilled with the results of HouseTour weekend.”

Norton Manor, with 47,000 square feetof interior space including main, guest andtea houses set on nine acres, also features a

“We had visitors from all over, includingNorth Carolina, with many of them commenting onhow they enjoyed the event, and how gratifyingit is knowing that all proceeds go to suchdeserving charities.”— Susan Dolan, chairwoman of the Potomac Country House Tour & Festival

Potomac Country House Tour & Festival photographer,John Troha, also had a booth at the festival.

More than 1,200 visitors toured Norton Manorover two days.

4 ❖ Potomac Almanac ❖ HomeLifeStyle Fall 2014 Potomac Almanac ❖ HomeLifeStyle Fall 2014 ❖ 5www.ConnectionNewspapers.com www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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By Marilyn Campbell

The Connection

As the air turns crisp and we settleinto fall, the time is ideal for cre-ating a cozy setting, whether it’selegant or rustic or modern.

Many people have adapted part of theirlandscape as an outdoor room.

“Outdoor porches whether screened orjust covered with a roof are great fallspaces,” said Susan Matus, a Potomac, Md.-based architect. “One can cozy them up withpillows and throws and outdoor lights, suchas decorative twinkle lights or candles cancreate great ambiance.”

Local designers reveal their favorite ac-cessories and ideas for outdoor rooms andscreened porches to help welcome the newseason with style.

An outdoor fireplace commands attentionand can offer a warm place for reading,napping or chatting with friends, and makesit comfortable to sit outside on a chillyevening.

“I just built a stunning fireplace in ascreened-in porch that transformed thespace into a three-season room just in timefor fall,” said Robert Kalmin of Skill Con-struction and Design, LLC in Fairfax, Va. “In-door-outdoor rugs and seating in fall col-ors make the space great for entertaining.”

When it comes to outdoor fireplaces, how-ever, there are a few caveats: “If it is ascreened in porch, be careful of your venti-lation. Whether you have a gas or wood-burning fireplace you have to have noncom-bustible material for the mantle and it needsto back discharge for smoke,” said Kalmin.He says such fireplaces can be added to an

porch or outdoor room. “To a screenedporch, you can add a ceiling fan witha down light and an up-light,” saidKalmin. “The higher light can give yougeneral lighting and the lower lightscan create ambient lighting, and canbe moved in different directions forsetting a mood. There is also a mono-rail track system lighting, where youcan install different types of lights de-pending on the mood you want to cre-ate.”

Whether real or faux, fall producecan also add a seasonal touch to anoutdoor room or screened porch, par-ticularly on the mantle or around thehearth. “You can add faux pumpkins,gourds and berries,” said Brown.“Squirrels don’t like the taste of those.”

Don’t forget serve wear, particularlywhen entertaining. “There are traysto carry coffee, tea, dessert in fall col-ors with fall leaves and birds withpumpkins,” said Brown.

Matus suggests a finishing touch foroutdoor spaces. “Another option is tohang drapery to create not only amore interior feeling but also draperycan be used to shield from the windas a thermal barrier,” she said.

Tips for making youroutdoor spaces comfythrough the fall.

Fireplaces Can Warm Outdoor RoomsHome LifeStyle

Whether it’s in an outdoor room ora screened-in porch, a fireplacecommands attention and can offera warm place for reading, nappingor chatting with friends.

Photo courtesy of Skill Construction and Design, LLC

Lighting can transform a screened porch or outdoor room.

Photo courtesy of Skill Construction and Design, LLC

existing space in one-to-two weeks.Accessories in warm, vibrant colors can

help can transform an outdoor room fromsummer to fall. “Adding some cozy throwblankets to outdoor sofas allows you to stayoutside on chilly nights,” said Kerra MicheleHuerta of Apartment Envy. “Also, as it getsdarker and cooler earlier in the day, candlesare a perfect accessory, adding both warmthand light.”

Scented candles can add an aroma of fall.“There are fabulous new pumpkin chai-scented candles by Nast Fragrance of NewYork that are wonderful,” said John Brownof J. Brown & Co. in Old Town Alexandria,Va.

In fact, lighting can transform a screened

“Indoor-outdoor rugs andseating in fall colorsmake the space great forentertaining.”

— Robert Kalmin ofSkill Construction and Design

Photo courtesy of J. Brown & Co

Pumpkins, gourds and other fallproduce can also add a seasonaltouch to an outdoor room orscreened porch.

Potomac Almanac ❖ HomeLifeStyle Fall 2014 ❖ 7www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Yarrow, asters, sedums, Lentenroses, and coral bells are amongthe fall plants that JonathanStorvick, natural resource man-ager at the Office of Sustainabilityat George Mason University inFairfax, Va., recommends.

“Fall is a great time to plantlarger-sized perennials and con-tainer shrubs,” said Storvick. “Italso happens to be the time of yearwhen nurseries are trying to getrid of a lot of their stock, so youcan find some great deals.”

For example, said Joel Cook ofMerrifield Garden Center, inFairfax, Merrifield and Gainesville,Va., “Burning bushes have beauti-ful fall colors like orange and firered. As far as trees, maples likeJapanese maples, sugar maple orblack gum maple have beautifulcolors.”

Another eye-catching option isthe yellow twig dogwood. Its“bright yellow branches and twigcolor … are also fantastic for win-ter,” said Mark White ofGardenWise in Arlington, Va. “Thisshrub develops in great clumpsand is a wonderful contrast againstany red twig. Oval-shaped greenleaves turn to orange-red in fall,followed by white fruit tinged withgreen.”

Grasses, added Katia Goffin, areideal for fall and can be mixedwith other foliage. “You can put ev-ergreens in your yard and addsome grasses. There are tons [ofgrasses] that are flowering andlook [good] with evergreens.”

One plant that is often associ-ated with cooler weather is a hollytree, but Eric Shorb of AmericanPlant in Bethesda, Md., offers acaveat.

“As we get closer to the end ofNovember and the beginning ofDecember you want to carefulabout planting such broadleaf ev-ergreens,” he said. “If they haven’thad time to develop a sufficientenough root system they can be-come susceptible to wind burnbecause the roots will not be ableto absorb moisture.”

Instead, he recommends decidu-ous trees and fine leaf evergreens.“A Leland Cyprus or an Arborvitaesthat don’t need as much moisturewill survive better as the weathergets colder.”

ORNAMENTAL VEGETABLESalso work well in fall and beyond.“There is decorative cabbage andkale, which will grow anywhereand are deer resistant, which is abig factor these days,” said Grimes.

Photo courtesy of Katia Goffin Gardens

The fading colors of hydrangea blooms add subtle color to a fall landscape.

Home LifeStyle

Photo courtesy of Katia Goffin Gardens

Autumn is the perfect time to plant ever-green shrubs.

Planting for Fall“As the temperatures get cooler,they get more color and last inwinter.”

Then there are the edible veg-etables. Good options are spinach,Swiss chard, arugula, mustardgreens and red lettuces, saidStorvick, who also suggested “rootcrops [like] carrots, radishes, pars-nips and beets. You can also plantgarlic and leeks now for springharvesting.”

There are a few common mis-takes that homeowners make,however: “Planting plants thatdeer eat and not thinking about thecritters that come though youryard is something I see a lot,” saidGrimes.

Giving a garden too much wateris another frequent mistake, ac-cording to Storvick.“Overwatering, especially whenthe weather starts to get colder,[and] leaving new plants unpro-tected … are probably some of themost common mistakes I’ve en-countered.

“Mulching around the base ofplants helps protect them fromcold and wind, as well as keepingin moisture.”

Also, take care when pruningspring-blooming shrubs and trees, he cautioned:

“While a lot of plants prefer winter pruning, a lot ofour great spring-blooming shrubs, like azaleas, for ex-ample, will only produce flowers on the previousseason’s growth, so by pruning in the winter, you elimi-nate all of the flower buds. For these plants, it’s best toprune them immediately after they’re done bloomingfor the season.”

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8 ❖ Potomac Almanac ❖ HomeLifeStyle Fall 2014 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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Photos by Deb Stevens/The Almanac

Address .............................. BR FB HB ... Postal City .. Sold Price .... Type ...... Lot AC .. PostalCode ....... Subdivision ......... Date Sold

1 10841 STANMORE DR ........... 8 .. 8 . 2 ....... POTOMAC ... $3,725,000 .... Detached .... 2.10 ......... 20854 ...... GREAT FALLS ESTATES ..... 08/22/14

2 10905 ROCK RUN DR ............ 6 .. 6 . 3 ....... POTOMAC ... $2,530,000 .... Detached .... 0.99 ......... 20854 .......... FAWCETT FARMS ......... 08/04/14

3 11508 SKIPWITH LN ............. 7 .. 6 . 2 ....... POTOMAC ... $2,525,000 .... Detached .... 2.00 ......... 20854 .......... POTOMAC FALLS ......... 08/29/14

4 11718 GAINSBOROUGH RD .. 5 .. 4 . 1 ....... POTOMAC ... $1,975,000 .... Detached .... 1.26 ......... 20854 ....... WILLERBURN ACRES ...... 08/20/14

5 10017 CHAPEL RD ................ 6 .. 3 . 0 ....... POTOMAC ... $1,937,500 .... Detached .... 3.75 ......... 20854 ....... POTOMAC OUTSIDE ....... 08/27/14

6 13210 RIVER RD ................... 6 .. 4 . 4 ....... POTOMAC ... $1,735,000 .... Detached .... 4.59 ......... 20854 .... MERRY GO ROUND FARM ... 08/12/14

7 11108 GILCHRIST CT ............ 7 .. 7 . 1 ....... POTOMAC ... $1,700,000 .... Detached .... 2.03 ......... 20854 .......... POTOMAC FALLS ......... 08/07/14

8 9852 AVENEL FARM DR ......... 6 .. 5 . 1 ....... POTOMAC ... $1,600,000 .... Detached .... 0.53 ......... 20854 ................. AVENEL ................ 08/15/14

Copyright 2014 RealEstate Business Intelligence. Source: MRIS as of September 15, 2014.

Potomac REAL ESTATEPotomac REAL ESTATE In August 2014, 63 Potomac homes

sold between $3,725,000-$250,000.

Top Sales inAugust, 2014

1 10841 Stanmore Drive— $3,725,000

2 10905 Rock Run Drive — $2,530,000

3 11508Skipwith Lane— $2,525,000

4 11718 Gainsborough Road —$1,975,000

7 11108 Gilchrist Court — $1,700,000

8 9852 Avenel Farm Drive — $1,600,000