dragon wall estate history
In the late 1990's , a local Spartanburg businessman traveled to Suzhou, China to study classical Chinese gardens. Suzhou is the mecca for such gardens. While there, he arranged for the purchase and transport of all materials required for a complete and authentic classical Chinese garden - the materials included 2 pagodas, a country cottage, boulders shaped like animals, two bridges, two dragon walls totaling around 250 feet in length and featuring a "moon gate", 2 large lion statues to "protect" the property, (as per Chinese folklore).
He shipped these along with Chinese craftsmen and gardeners to the US. By 2004, he had constructed on a bucolic and intensely private 6.6 acre one of the only 4-authentic classical gardens in the US. - the other three are: NY (Chinese Scholar’s Garden), Portland (Lan Su Chinese Garden), Seattle (Chinese Gardens); Dragon Wall Estate is the ONLY such private garden.
Dragon Wall Estate is named after the powerful and imposing dragon walls protecting the house.
In 2013, the owner tragically died in a car accident. With subsequent years of neglect, the estate decayed. We have since restored the garden to its former dream-like and Zen-full state. It is now, as it was, a rare Zen sanctuary.
When we first acquired the property and were told this "story", we were quite skeptical - until we saw that the labels on one of the electrical breaker panels are in Chinese. Subsequently, the story was also authenticated by a Clemson University master gardener who had conducted tours of the gardens in the 2000s.
Our story - a story of well-being
We are city folks. We have lived in Boston, Chicago, Washington, Glasgow, London, and Naples (Italy). However, we had lived just outside Hilton Head for 13 years in a country club with two beautiful Tom Fazio golf courses and world class golf practice and exercise facilities. I played golf religiously 4 or 5 times a week - the result was 20+ pound overweight, total loss of self respect (golf got worse each week), and a chronic messed up back.
Both my kids live in Denver. They bugged us to move there and our lifestyle was a posing a problem; so, we sold the house (within a day). We had 90 days to close and move.
70 days or so later, we had not found what we were looking for in Denver (a two bedroom loft next to Union Station - The only spot of interest in Denver for us). We panicked, and looked for alternatives).
Out the blue on our screen, up popped photos of a large Chinese Zen looking garden between Spartanburg & Greenville. We thought - perhaps a few hours a day in a Zen garden might change our lifestyle (golf and dining out)?
I visited the house. With one mile or so to go, I drove through several elegant horse-farms to the driveway; parked at the top of that long serpentine driveway; walked under a soothing tunnel of overhanging Crepe Myrtles.
At the end of the tunnel, a magical park-like setting quite majestically, spaciously, and emotionally blossomed - there was the long rambling California style house with its huge courtyard; total privacy guaranteed by a 360 degrees surround of acres and acres of very tall old growth forest - it was and is bucolic and reassuringly private.
My first thought standing in awe at the bottom of driveway was - "We are buying this!". I rang the bell, the huge Chinese metallic door swung open - and there it was - a massive bubbling rock waterfall. This house was different. My second thought was "That waterfall has to go" (it's now my favorite feature inside the house - the sound of falling water just soothes).
Well, several years later: 20+ pounds lighter, back-pain gone, blood-pressure 110/64, resting heart rate at an athletic 50 bps. It's more than just working and relaxing in the garden, the Zen somehow surreptitiously encouraged us to rethink nutrition, exercise and mental well being - WE HAVE ZENNED OUR LIVES.
So, why are we selling?
For two reasons - Jane just found out she has severe osteoporosis making garden work impossible; our spoiled kids are feeling abandoned in Denver.
ZEN YOUR LIFE!