Yards, homeowners honored by gardeners
Special to the Gazette
Monday, August 31, 2009
Editor’s note: The Emporia Area Gardeners of America select yards to spotlight during the summer months. These are the yards honored in July and August.
Take a drive down Garfield Street and when you arrive at 716, slow down. You will notice a tidy post-World War II house with an attractive front yard. For the past five years it has been the home of Christine Roberts-Kehres and Edward Kehres, winners of the July award. The only landscaping leftovers from previous owners are the yews, maple tree and pine trees.
The Kehres’ front landscape now features an assortment of hydrangea bushes on the north; a burning busy, yews, liriope and Hostas in the front flower bed and container plantings at the front entrance. The backyard is a feast for the eyes with more containers on the deck, including herb plantings; hanging baskets and more than 10 varieties of hydrangea and 33 varieties of hostas.
In the back of the yard is a large triangular shaped area fenced off from the rest of the yard with old farm fence. Growing here is a dogwood tree and lots of phlox. As the phlox dies down, the mums will begin to show their colors. A conversation area, complete with glider, two old-fashioned metal lawn chairs and a fire pit create a lovely place to sit and enjoy the changing seasons of the garden.
The containers that Christine has used are numerous found objects (wash tubs, enamel pots, watering cans) that she has bought at auctions, yard sales and flea markets. It is a creative way to re-use old objects. The numerous solar yard lights provide lighting throughout the yard.
Landscaping a corner lot requires special thought and consideration because three sides are “open to view.” Case in point is 212 E. Ninth Ave. where Kim and Julie Kirk have been landscaping for 24 years. The result is an attractive spot for the neighborhood and the rest of the city to enjoy. As an added bonus, the sidewalks on the south and east sides make strolling by easy. If there is a theme to the landscaping plan, it is probably “color.”
In the front between the sidewalk and street there are three pine trees and a purple ash. When they moved in, Kim started trimming the lower branches of the pine trees, so that he could mow more easily; the trimming encouraged top growth, so the trees have reached a majestic height. The purple ash is surrounded by hostas interspersed with a variety of impatiens. The result is a lovely contrast of color.
In the east area between the sidewalk and street, the Kirk’s have planted a red oak and a sugar maple to go with a large Bradford pear tree. The trees provide a variety of color in the fall.
They have used Rose of Sharon to delineate the north property boundary. A spirea hedge wraps around the house from the southeast corner around to the north side. A lilac bush and a forsythia provide beautiful color in the spring. There is also an area for tomato and pepper plants next to the garage.
On the west side of the house stands a white privacy fence. For many years Julie used this area as a bed for annuals, but she recently decided that she wanted something more permanent. She has planted three red knockout roses alternately with “Sunshine Blue” golden bluebeard. With the white fence as a background, this grouping provides some “knockout” color for the yard.