jessica

We selected the yard at 1830 Seamist Court as yard of the month for August.  This month’s yard of the month is owned by Nancy Piwonka who has updated the exterior of the house as well as the landscape.

A new sidewalk from the street has one step half way up to accommodate the gentle slope in the yard.   As the sidewalk approaches the house it makes a sharp right turn to go around a new planter box about three feet tall made of the same brick as the house.   In front of the planter box, the owner has placed a beautiful square glazed clay pot about 3 ½ feet tall in which she has planted butterfly iris.   This pot is a focal point for the landscape.  The planter box creates a semi-private area near the front door.   The planter box is planted with asparagus fern which is very lush even in the August heat.   Behind the planter box and before the porch Ms. Piwonka has created a maintenance free area with the ground covered with gray rocks.   This rock area is a very nice complement to the gray colored flagstone which is used to pave the porch.

In the landscape from the driveway to the planter box across the front of the house are five Liropetalum plants.    Stepping stones in front of the Liropetalum provide a walkway  from the driveway to the front sidewalk.   In front of the stepping stones the landscape features Prostrate Juniper planted along the front of the curved bed.   In the center of the bed a Holly tree about 12 feet tall is becoming established.     Starting with the area around the large glazed pot and continuing on to the other side of the sidewalk are some Dwarf Mexican Petunia plants which are also called Ruellia.   This plant is designated a Texas Superstar on the Aggie Horticulture website because it is a spectacular, low-growing, heat tolerant perennial with profusions of violet flowers.  The Ruellia is blooming nicely in August.

Across the front of the porch, the owner has planted some Horsetail Reed which is a plant which is increasingly recommended by garden designers who are searching for a minimalist design.  The horsetail consists of many reed-like segmented green tubes that grow straight up to a height of four feet.  Attractive black and gray bands are found at both ends of each segment.   This plant will spread easily.

At the corner of the front porch is a beautiful Japanese Yew which is very adaptable to our area.   The Yew is about 7 feet tall.

This month’s yard of the month is owned by Melodie Matlock, an area Realtor.   Melodie has lived at 1706 Haverhill since 2003 when she bought the house.  The house and yard were in original condition and Melodie immediately set out to update the interior of the house and put in some landscaping.   As one contribution to Lazybrook, Melodie has volunteered to chair the Christmas Decoration judging for the neighborhood. She had the help of a landscaper named Oscar Comacho in laying out the beds in the yard.

In the front yard Oscar used a rope to mark the borders of the new beds and this resulted in very graceful curved beds.   The beds extend across the front of the house and down the sidewalk to the driveway.    Melodie actually selects all plants that go into her yard because she likes plants with structure.    After the beds were laid out and prepared she had nearly 300 plants to put in place, divided between the front and backyards. On the East side of the yard Melodie wanted to create a barrier to the traffic noise from Ella Boulevard so the bed extends all the way down to the curb.

GG Gerbing Azaleas fill that bed from the house to the curb and behind the Azaleas are several Crepe Myrtles that were transplanted from the back yard.    Melodie got most of the Azaleas from a plant nursery but she found the two large bright pink Azaleas in a client’s trash waiting for the garbage truck.   These two rescued Azaleas are now beautiful and healthy looking.

The Crepe Myrtles in the bed along the East side of the yard are not blooming much because of the shade but they do provide a green barrier as Melodie planned.  In front of the sidewalk Melodie planted several dwarf yaupons and continued them along the side of the driveway.  All along the curving bed from the curb to the front of the house and on to the curb nearest the driveway is a bright and colorful display of many colored Impatiens.

Several Sago Palms, Camellias, Agapanthus, an Oak Leaf Hydrangea and a Variegated Hydrangea are planted amongst the other plants in the beds. Between the sidewalk and the front porch more Azaleas are growing behind a border of Mexican Heather.

A very large Crepe Myrtle which has a very nice natural shape is planted near the porch.   It is currently blooming with pink flowers and the bark of the tree is exfoliating to reveal a beautiful deep red colored trunk.  On the west side of the driveway are more Crepe Myrtles and an English Dogwood along with a variety of yellow and orange Daylilies.