Scott Allison has worked 24 years perfecting his garden on Beswick Way
By Ruth Sloan
There is an extraordinary garden at 891 Beswick Way, home of Scott Allison. Scott is a naturalist, forester, orchardist and apiarist. This is the Ashland Garden Club’s Garden of the Month for June 2024. At nearly a half acre, the property is unusually large in this part of town. It is unusual for other qualities, too, such as the variety of plant specimens and the seriousness of the gardener. Scott has lived and gardened here for 24 years.
In addition to his large garden in Ashland, Scott is developing 13 acres in rural Talent, two acres of which he has already planted as an orchard. A retired contractor, Scott devotes a lot of time to tending his land. He estimates that he averages 15 hours per week on just the Beswick Way property.
The grand sequoia tree in the front draws a lot of attention. Recently, Scott’s dog Levi alerted him to the presence of a large bear high in this tree in the middle of the night. In fact, large trees, including two coastal redwoods, ring the property although he finds plenty of sunny places to grow plants that are sun-loving.
Scott does almost all the work himself as well as all the design aspects of the landscape. The enclosure for a vegetable garden was sited, designed, and primarily built by him. The decorative top of the fence is made of short eucalyptus branches that mimic the bamboo on the gate and as edging in the front yard. Asian-inspired solar light fixtures top the fenceposts. His friend, the artist Joanne Chase, made a fabulous birdbath fountain.
In addition to the vegetable enclosure, Scott built raised beds for more veggies out of Faswall on recommendation from his friends at EcoNest. Christie Mackinson of Shooting Star Nursery has provided advice on plant choices.
Scott especially loves peonies, and has become more interested in recent years in medicinal plants and herbs. Because he tends bees, Scott specializes in bee-friendly plants.
The Ashland Garden Club has been selecting Gardens of the Month, from April through September, since 2000. Nominations are gratefully received at [email protected]. Check out the Club’s website at ashlandorgardenclub.org for information on meeting times and places.
All photos by Ruth Sloan.
