Kim & Matt Lewis

May 2024 Issue

by Edwina Hoyle
Photography by Lindsay Gifford

Kim Lewis is a beachcomber extraordinaire. After moving to Hilton Head Island from the mountains of North Carolina, she began walking the beach at Fish Haul, picking up little treasures each time. Now her home and garden are potpourris of many of her precious finds. Her husband, Matt, says Kim is the “idea person,” and he is the “doer.” Their home has an outdoor shower and two indoor showers that Kim has tiled with seashells, small bottles, sea glass, shark teeth, dolphin bones, even ancient horse teeth—all found on the beach or in the Lowcountry pluff mud. The stunning tile work beckons a closer look to find the intricate treasures it contains. The Lewis’ driftwood garden also showcases numerous curiosities. All of their finds, creatively woven into their home and garden, will be featured on the All Saints Episcopal Church Garden Tour on May 18.

Kim has a playful outlook on life, and her garden reflects it. The garden is fun, funky, eclectic, and extremely interesting. Over the years, she has dragged huge pieces of driftwood off the beach. Kim uses it for interior décor, as well as in her driftwood-themed garden. Matt has hung driftwood everywhere—on walls, fences, and trees. He’s also made flower boxes, a table, and even a light post out of it.

Kim and Matt both loved gardening as children, so much so it became a part of both of their lives. Matt’s father had a large vegetable garden, and Kim’s grandfather and an uncle gardened. She remembers pulling carrots and picking tomatoes as her special job.

Kim is an artist and had a huge pottery studio at their home in North Carolina, which Matt built himself. “Art was a release for me because I developed breast cancer and had a double mastectomy, but I pushed through it,” she said.

Matt had a 28-year career in the airline industry. A friend, who had moved to Savannah, told him how happy he was working at Gulfstream and recommended that Matt consider a job there. After Kim’s battle with cancer, the couple decided they needed a change, and Matt was hired at Gulfstream. So, 15 years ago, Kim sold her pottery equipment, and they moved to Hilton Head.

During the pandemic, Kim decided to become a Master Gardener and earned her certification. She joined a garden club and volunteered to care for the Heritage Garden at the Coastal Discovery Museum. Then she decided to start her own club, the Gallivanting Gardeners, now 75 members strong. Kim has taught gardening classes and hosted luncheons, enjoying the camaraderie of like-minded gardeners.

Kim said unique and unusual plants pique her interest. “If you can get bored with plants, there’s something wrong with you,” she chuckled. One of her favorite plants is native to Hawaii—a night-blooming cereus cactus called “Queen of the Night.” Enormous white blossoms emerge only one night, then fall off. To celebrate the blooming, Kim has hosted parties to allow her guests to enjoy this experience late into the night. Her garden also boasts an orchid cactus, another night bloomer.

While meandering through Kim’s garden, one can find clay turtles she’s made, statues and curiosities she finds at thrift stores, like a collection of large, white ceramic seashells that serve as planters. This imaginative garden blends textures, colors, and varieties; there are thick succulents, colorful annuals, flowering bushes, and lots of surprises.

Matt has converted their garage into a small pottery studio for Kim, and a workshop for him, but as far as the garden goes, he joked, “I know what not to step on.”

 

Up Close:

• The 35th All Saints Episcopal Church Garden Tour will be held Saturday, May 18, 2024, from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. There are six lovely gardens in Bluffton and on Hilton Head Island this year that you will not want to miss!
  
  
• Changes and enhancements to the Garden Tour this year include: Extended Hours: An additional hour has been added to the start time this year. New hours are from 9:00 a.m.— 4:00 p.m.
  
  
• The NEW Artisans Market will take place at All Saints Episcopal Church, 3001 Meeting Street, Hilton Head Island, on the day of the Garden Tour, May 18 from 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. You will not want to miss this event featuring fabulous artisans from the region. You will be delighted by their talent and the beautiful items available to purchase. There will also be a silent auction with special items to bid on, and of course, the delicious bake sale that has grown to be a favorite.
  
  
• There is a lunch option this year: You can now reserve your spot for a delicious lunch at the beautiful Seabrook of Hilton Head, one of the gardens on the tour. Lunch will be available from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. the day of the tour. 
  
  
• Buy Tickets: For more information and tickets, visit www.allsaintsgardentour.wordpress.com