Ferdows is the house and garden on 9.7 acres in Calvert County, Maryland. The property was raw wooded land with oaks, beeches, hickories, tulip trees and pines. The house was designed by Baratloo-Balch architects from New York City, NY and constructed in 1999- 2001. The building of Ferdows Garden began in 2000 – 2001 by Shahla and Jim Butler and with help from several friends and occasional contractors. The Garden consists of several specialty gardens and corners, including the Persian garden for ornamental plants, the waterfall and fish and koi ponds, the walled garden for vegetables and cut flowers, and the Smaller Gardens, including the rock garden, the rose garden, the Japanese corner and the woodlands. The garden is designed by Shahla Butler. The majority of the engineering is done by Jim Butler. As with any garden, this is a living entity, constantly being changed and enhanced. The original native canopy trees define the woodland areas. These have been under-planted with numerous– mostly but not exclusively native– flowering shrubs and trees. In 2019, we made an inventory of all the trees and shrubs of Ferdows. The garden is also home to over 100 tropical plants, that winter in the greenhouse.
Shahla and Jim are world travelers and have visited over 60 countries across the globe. From their travels, they have brought home statues and other garden art and have also acquired beautiful local art from Maryland artists.
Everywhere, they have visited and learned from the local gardeners. Ferdows Garden incorporates many of these global influences and lessons, but the unifying theme for both the house and the gardens is the Persian influence.
Ferdows Foundation, Inc. 