Our First Yard of the Month Winner!

Congratulations to our first monthly winner… the Barrett home at 109 Nut Bush Rd West in Hamilton Lakes! Barbara’s love of plants and the feelings they create is evident in the combination of trees, shrubs, perennials and bulbs visible year-round, even in February when we visited. The whole neighborhood seems to enjoy daffodils as a signature flower this time of year, with several homes on both sides of Nut Bush displaying various combinations of different daffodils.

Hyacinths in shades of blue and pink have popped up in Barbara’s front yard as well, greeting families that walk by in this highly walkable neighborhood. The mature trees, not yet leafed out, graciously allow for these early bulbs to bloom. In the span of the next few weeks, shade will rule the garden and bring forth the perennials that instead thrive in that light.

A nice variety of flowering shrubs is also present here, with the lovely Pieris japonica sporting racemes of white blooms – so cheery in the winter garden!

But here is the vignette that really captured our attention – the driveway bordered with evergreen ferns, and off in the distance an espaliered camellia against the house. This is an ancient pruning technique that can allow a plant to sit flat against a wall or other (even imaginary) surface. In this case, the narrow bed between the driveway and house, just to the left of the window. Now, cutting a woody shrub into a thin sliver like this is not an easy task. Barb has help from James Richardson of Flowering Foundations. James is what we call in the trade a “Fine Gardener”, someone who brings that extra touch to your landscape to take it from average to “wow”. Beyond regular weekly maintenance, fine gardeners’ skill bring detailed attention to boost curb appeal.

So drive or walk by Barbara’s and watch how things unfold as the seasons ebb and flow. It’ll be something surprising every month!

Big thanks to all who entered this month – we encourage you to continue to enter monthly, as each garden evolves in its own special time of the year!