The Burroughs Garden

About

This garden is a part of the Saturday, October 17 Sullivan's Island, SC Open Day. To purchase tickets to all participating gardens, please visit the Sullivan's Island Open Day

Please note: Garden Conservancy membership credits cannot be used for this event.

The home was designed by Steve Herlong, built by Philip Smith, and the Landscape Architect was Robert Chestnut.

The current homeowners purchased the home in early 2018. The garden was overgrown and contained 32 Leyland cypress trees along the fence line. Many of them were either dead or dying and Hurricane Dorian took care of six of them. That began the long-term garden renovation. All Leylands were eventually removed, stumps ground, and a mixture of Eastern Red Cedars, Brodies, Sweet Bay Viburnum, tree form Ligustrum, mixture of Pittosporum, breeze grass, Camellia Sasanqua and Japonica, ferns, were added to create the layered beds.

Later more ferns were added in addition to boxwoods, hollies, and a variety of perennials. The “bones” of the garden and the outline of all the beds have not changed since the original design.

The sculpture on the Pavillion wall is a recent addition but a long time in the making. The frame of the sculpture is actually constructed from hand turned drapery rods that were made for the Burroughs’ home in Ocean Ridge, FL, but were never used. When they moved from there to Sullivan’s Island in 2018, they traveled with the other household goods to Sullivan’s Island. They lay on the floor of the garage wrapped in newspaper and plastic until late 2025.

Adam Gilbert, an Artistic Blacksmith, of Armsway Forge and Metal Designs, created the sculpture using the drapery rods as the frame. Designer, owner of The Gardeners Green and personal friend Joan McDonald saw an opportunity to create a wall sculpture for the blank wall. Two attempts to grow espalier vegetation on the wall had failed! Joan sketched the design and collaborated with Adam to create this lovely sculpture.

2026 Open Day Date: Saturday, October 17

Open Day Hours: 10am–4pm