We were so impressed by our May Yard-of-the-Month we asked if we could tour in June and the owner agreed, but asked that
the tour be a couple weeks later than our usual second Saturday so please make a note of the new date.
Landscape History: "I purchased my 1929 cottage in 1999, and it had two old Pecan trees that were in bad
shape and provided no shade. There were only weeds in the front yard and some native purple ruellia and
red cannas along the driveway. That was it as far as the landscape went. I installed a sun garden landscape
and planted a 30-gallon water oak and 30-gallon Basham Pink crape myrtle in the front yard, along with
three 1-gallon purple Catawba crape myrtles along the street that I purchased with a housewarming gift
card to Buchanan's Native Nursery. I received Yard of the Month in the following spring for my initial
transformation from the Proctor Plaza Association.
2000: Over the following 26 years since, my garden in the front yard has become a complete shade garden with my
water oak is now a 30" caliper tree over two stories high and the crape myrtles and aak have all grown together
to completely shade the front yard from the west facing sun. The grass completely receded over the years until
there was little left, so I decided it was time to install a shade garden.
Landscape Redesign 2024: I removed all the grass and installed two winding Blackstar gravel paths on either side
for ease of walking to the driveway and side gate, but also for a hardscape feature in the garden that
provided a natural break from the front beds and the back beds. For the plant selection I wanted plants that gave
the look of a shade cottage garden, but were also tough enough to handle mostly filtered shade all day and then
get a little blast of early evening sun as the angle of the sun beams under the trees. I also wanted plants
that would naturally stay within the 1'-3' height range. Plants like giant ligularia, evergreen bromeliads,
variegated flax, spotted ligularia, foxtail ferns, wood ferns, East Indian ferns, yarrow, Alocasia
(elephant ear), variegated hostas were selected. These plants were chosen to have variation in textures,
shades of green, and leaf shapes. Then I added crossandra (orange bloom), white caladiums, variegated
brake fern, bromeliads, and white upright pentas to add color. I used creeping jenny (lime green)
and sandy leaf fig ivy as ground cover to fill between the plants bare areas. Along the house
I created a formal boarder with Winter Gem boxwoods and the walking iris for a more natural flowing
look behind them. I boarded the larger crape myrtle with Goldstrum rudbeckia. I also created
two color beds with Wasabi coleus for the lime green contrast with a mini mondo border.
2025:It is amazing to see what a transformation that landscaping can do for the look of a home and its environment."