Marilyn Sifford and have created a dazzling garden on their Norristown property that features lovely themed “rooms” and still has flowers planted by the previous owner, Butera’s mother, writes Sally A. Downey for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

In 2002, the couple bought the stone house built by Butera’s father after Butera’s mother died. They were looking for more room to garden, and the two-acre property seemed like the perfect fit.

They first had to take horticulture courses at the Barnes Foundation in Lower Merion to learn how to deal with poison ivy and invasive plants. They then hired Chuck Rogers, who had worked as curator of horticulture at the Philadelphia Zoo.

“He was a genius,” said Sifford.

Rogers added wood chip paths throughout the site and laid out a vegetable garden around a pond. He also helped set out an irrigation system to keep the area watered.

Since then, the garden has blossomed into a series of garden rooms with explosions of colors from trees, shrubs, and perennials.

Other highlights include the enchanted forest with its singing tree house, amazing birdhouses, reflection pools, and several Alice in Wonderland tea party sculptures.

Read more about the dazzling outdoor space in The Philadelphia Inquirer.

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Editor’s Note: This post first appeared on MONTCO Today in July 2022.