By Mark Abromaitis
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

In the Millers Run neighborhood at Maris Grove, an Erickson community just outside of Philadelphia, you’ll find a beautifully manicured, planned, and planted garden.

But it isn’t one of the ones created by the community’s talented landscaping crew. It’s the handiwork of two neighbors who just happen to be avid gardeners.

Dubbed “Shortwood Gardens,” a spin-off of the world-renowned Longwood Gardens located just a few miles south of Maris Grove, the beautifully planted garden is the result of two experienced gardeners with green thumbs putting their heads together.

A simple beginning
The garden got its start innocently enough. Next-door neighbors Mary Ann Starkey and Doris Maitland realized they both enjoyed gardening and decided to plant flowers around the patios of their homes.

Both neighbors chose flowers they enjoyed the most. Pansies, geraniums, and Gerber daisies all flourished in the rich, mossy soil.

“It started with a few flowers, and then some tomato plants in pots. Soon, my husband dubbed it ‘Shortwood Gardens,’” Starkey says. “Now we’ve got herbs like basil too. They will be good with the tomatoes.”

Exercise destination
The small garden is now a popular attraction for walkers and exercisers in the community. Starkey says that the garden gets visitors throughout the day since it’s been in bloom.

Priscilla Clapp, a resident of Maris Grove, says, “I walk my dog by it every day, just to take a look at it. It’s beautiful. It really brightens my day.”

“People say they walk by it and look for something new every time,” Starkey says. “So we try and add things here and there.”

Then the requests started coming. “One neighbor says she has a great view of the gardens from her home and thought lily of the valley would work well in the garden,” Starkey says. “One day, she dropped one off at my door. And it fit in perfectly. It’s nice to know that other people get enjoyment out of something that’s really a hobby for us.”