Television is filled with programming that depicts neighbors waging war over property lines, unkempt yards, annoying security lights, barking dogs, noisy mufflers, loud music and the list goes on. However, on a quiet, tree-lined street in Columbia, neighbors have found common ground through gardening.
Both backyards offer multiple areas to sit and relax, enjoy dinner or entertain. Here, the Leaders and Reitzels are seated on a patio that adjoins the gazebo in the Reitzels’ backyard.
Several years ago, I took in Columbia’s Art in the Gardens tour and was somewhat confused by neighboring properties that belonged to Charles and Kay Leader and John and Wendy Reitzel. The properties appeared to be one park-like expanse of trees, shrubs and flowers. I came to learn that when it comes to gardening, the two couples are like peas in a pod.
The Leaders
Charlie and Kay lived on 6th Street in Columbia until 30 years ago, when they decided to search for a larger home. They found the perfect candidate on Walnut Street and moved to the property that was a dream come true for avid gardener Charlie. “There were 30 trees on this property when we moved here,” Kay recalls.
Beds filled with flowering plants and shrubs surround a patio.
Charlie likes to pick up seeds wherever he goes, hence the beds are filled with plants he has nurtured. “We can be taking a walk and he’ll see something and get a seed from it,” Kay notes. Charlie also keeps detailed records of what is growing in the garden. He also maintains detailed drawings of the beds and structures that have been installed. He wishes they lived closer to Longwood Gardens, as he would love to be a volunteer there.
The pergola is encircled by perennials and hanging baskets filled with annuals.
As for Kay, while she takes great pride in the property, she’s content to leave the planting and planning to Charlie. “I cut the grass and take care of fall cleanup,” she says. She’s also an avid collector of vintage watering cans and birdcages that are used to decorate the patio and other areas.
Over the past 30 years, the Leaders’ property has undergone dramatic changes. A much larger patio was added, trees were removed, beds were installed that now hold colorful flowers and shrubs and a pergola was built. Regarding the constant need for tree maintenance, Kay says, “Oh, we definitely support the arborists in Columbia.” Of the pergola, Kay admits there was an ulterior motive behind it: “Less grass to mow!” she quips.
The Leaders’ property also became a Certified Wildlife Habitat (administered by the World Wildlife Federation). Besides the abundance of birds that visit the property, it is not unusual to see fox and deer passing through. Charlie’s newest project is a pollinator garden that blooms in various color palettes from spring to early fall. “It’s attracting all sorts of bees, butterflies and bugs,” he reports. He also gave up trying to nurture plants in a place where nothing grows and filled it with mint. “If that doesn’t grow there, nothing will,” he says of his ongoing determination to fill the problematic space with plants.
The Reitzels
John grew up in Columbia and missed living in town. So, 14 years ago he and his wife, Wendy, put their house in suburbia on the market and began searching for a suitable property in Columbia. When they pulled up to a house on Walnut Street with their realtor, they were greeted by a man on the neighboring property who, according to John, “stared at us.” Charlie admits it was him but claims the reaction had to do with the fact that he was simply surprised to see someone stopping to see a house that had been empty for more than three years (the previous owner had health issues and moved to a nursing facility). John was surprised, too, saying, “I thought we were going to the house on the corner.”
The gazebo that the Reitzels “inherited” provides yet another seating area. It sits among beds that John either reclaimed or built.
For some reason, the Reitzels weren’t deterred by first impressions. “The grass was knee high,” John recalls. Inside, the house appeared be stuck in a ’60s time warp. “I never saw anything quite like it,” Wendy says. “We looked at it three times,” John adds. Yet, there was something about that property. The size of the house was perfect from a downsizing perspective, and the large backyard offered John plenty of opportunities for his favorite pastime, gardening. The more they thought about it, the more appealing it became. They ultimately signed on the dotted line, enabling John to return to his beloved hometown.
Handyman John built this pergola/patio.
John and Wendy spent the next month working on the yard. “Eight hours a day, seven days a week,” he says. “I uncovered things like a stone wall in the front yard, as well as interesting plants.” For John, transforming the yard was a labor of love. “I learned everything I know about plants from my mom,” he says. John filled the beds he created with perennials that family and friends shared. “The peonies in our yard came from my grandmother’s garden,” he says of the personal connections his plants provide. “Knowing where they came from makes plants all the more special.” He rarely buys plants; instead, he divides what he has. “If I have excess, I post it on Facebook and share them,” he says.
Spring is the Reitzels’ favorite time of the year in their garden. Photo by John Reitzel.
John is of the opinion that to maintain a garden of any size, a person must be committed. “You’re going to be out there doing something every day in order for it to look good,” he says. The Reitzels works as a team, with John handling the “heavy, physical stuff,” and Wendy overseeing tasks such as creating planters, taking caring of the annuals and mowing. “I like to putter in the garden,” she says of her gardening style.
John is also creative from a building standpoint and over the years has installed two patios and two pergolas on the property. (A gazebo was already in place.) “I did one of the patios on the hottest day of the year,” John notes. “Kay and Charlie kept coming over to check on me.”
Another patio that John installed is at the rear of the property and is surrounded by greenery.
While the Donnelly Printing retiree will always be a dedicated gardener, he has discovered a new passion in photography. “It all started with a trip to Yosemite,” he says. When he returned home, he began focusing his camera on his favorite scenery, the Susquehanna River and Veterans Memorial Bridge. His award-winning work can be seen on his Facebook page and on various websites.
Being Neighborly
How “connected” are the two backyards? A stone pathway provides passage between the two properties. The neighbors also readily share plants and advice. Charlie wants to add a greenhouse to his property, as does Wendy on her side of the fence. Both couples agree that spring is their favorite season in the garden. “I love that my ‘friends’ are coming back to see me,” says John. “I think our yard is at its best May into June,” Charlie says.
The Leaders (left) and Reitzels, who have been neighbors for 15 years, found common ground in gardening and have been sharing advice, ideas and plants ever since. Sadly, Wendy Reitzel passed away in mid-February. Our condolences go to John Reitzel and his family.
The couples are also cognizant that a new generation of homeowners is taking up residence on their block. “For a lot of them, taking care of a yard is all new,” observes John. In such cases, he maintains that being neighborly benefits everyone. “Don’t be afraid to ask them if they need help. Offer to share plants with them.” In Kay’s estimation, “Kindness goes a long way.”
An Idea Blooms
Each June the organization, Create Columbia, hosts a garden tour that features unique gardens and, as a bonus, artists who are at work at each location. The tour is an outgrowth of one that was formerly held in the borough but was discontinued for a time. Reviving it was the idea of – you guessed it! – the Leaders and the Reitzels. “About 10 years ago, we were drinking wine on our patio and the idea of restarting the tour came up,” Kay recounts. At the time, other garden tours filled the calendar and to set Columbia’s apart from them, the idea of positioning working artists in the gardens arose. The tour has been on the calendar ever since and was held even during Covid (when it attracted its largest turnout).
The Leader and Reitzel properties have been on the tour several times. “People walk into our backyards and are always surprised by what they see,” says Kay. “It’s gratifying to know that people appreciate the hard work that goes into our gardens.”
This year’s tour will be held Saturday, June 14. For details visit createcolumbia.org and Facebook.
Editor’s Note: Sadly, Wendy Reitzel passed away in mid-February. Our condolences go to John Reitzel and his family.
What a wonderful article. A testament to your commitment. Wendy will remain alive through the gardens.
Great article…very inspiring.
It is never too late to start making life better.