Parks & Recreation Department - Notable Yards 2009

GRASSFIELD
Orion and Vivienne Wickerudry
3405 Blackhawk Court

Orion and Vivenne Wicker’s yard is full of sentimentality. “Our azaleas are 40 to 50 years old,” said Orion. “They were planted at our old home in Virginia Beach, which we moved from because the City was going to expand Independence Boulevard. This golden raintree was a gift from my sister Joyce, who passed away. My brother Bud made the decorative mailbox post.”

Their home in the Grassfield area is near the Dismal Swamp. “We have even had a bear in our yard,” said Viv. Their yard is wildlife-friendly, with bird feeders and plantings. Orion cleverly shielded his air conditioner with a vine-covered trellis with decorative bird houses.

Their yard is cozy, with wooded wetland area behind their home providing a beautiful backdrop for carefully-tended gardens filled with gladiolas, black-eyed Susans, rose of Sharron, hydrangea, Japanese maple, Asiatic lilies, and much more.

Orion is a wiz with concrete, making such items as a beautiful decorative lighthouse, garden borders, patterned driveway extension, and a paver that says I luv Viv. The couple has been married for 48 years.