A Visit to Norm’s Chestnut Hill Oasis

Norm moved into his mid-century house in 1986. That spring, friends suggested he check out the Morris Arboretum plant sale. Norm had never done any gardening but was game to give it a shot. He bought some tulips and daffodils and got a free dawn redwood sapling. That dawn redwood is now approaching 40 years old and is spectacular at the highest point of his acre-and-a-half property.

As for those tulips and daffodils, the deer ate all the tulips. Being located one neighbor away from Fairmount Park, deer remained an issue until a deer fence was installed around the entire property with a grate at the top of the driveway. Norm now plants without worrying about providing appetizers for the deer.

In 1986, the property had a couple azaleas, a swimming pool, and a lawn. The pool is now a pond with a patio and seating area. While walking through Pastorious Park one spring morning, Norm met the “Friends of Pastorious” cleaning out their pond. When asked who to talk to about converting a swimming pool to a pond, they suggested “Hermann the German” (Twelkmeyer). Hermann did a great job, along with Sandro laying down the patio.

Since those early days, Norm has planted several thousand daffodils and camassia, many dogwoods and redbuds, and three dozen witch hazels. A dozen or more giant azaleas are beautiful when in bloom (or not!). Along both sides of the driveway are various types of hellebores. Hydrangeas are scattered throughout. The meadow’s native grasses and flowering plants change gracefully with the seasons. Complementing the shrubs and trees is a large area devoted to Backyard Eats raised vegetable and raspberry beds.

Plantings have been coordinated by landscape architect Jonathan Alderson. Norm loves that the landscape, trees, and shrubs have their own unique timelines and is working on an illustrated calendar showing what is blooming when.

This is a Members Only event, but registration is required. $5 per attendee.Maximum number of guests is 15.

Registration opens May 17th.  Registration closes June 26th.

Our visit will be held on Saturday June 28, 2025, in clear skies or light rain. If we have heavy rain, our visit will be held on our Rain Date, Sunday, June 29, 2025.

Click here if you would like to become a member of HPS/MAG before registering for this event.

Restrooms will not be available.

Address and parking directions will be sent to all registrants in their confirmation.

Contact: Dawn Freeman at [email protected]