Ramblewood September Yard of the Month

Submitted by Nancy Bahn

Ramblewood Garden Club has awarded the September Yard of the Month to Julie McDonald, who lives in a beautifully landscaped home on Maria Louise Lane. Mature red oak (Quercus rubra), tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera), ash (Fraxinus), several white dogwoods (Cornus florida) and maple trees (Acer) with their raised canopy ensure a lush lawn below. A brightly blooming flower garden in a sunny corner draws butterflies. Found here are perennial pink and white coneflowers (Echinacea), yellow blooming black-eyed-susan, (Rudbeckia), lilies (Lilium), wandering jew plants (Tradescantia pallida) and common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), along with the annuals red rooster comb (Celosia), pink flowering vinca (Catharanthus roseus), and yellow and pink Lantana. The evergreen shrubs Cotoneaster, barberry (Berberis), and winterberry (Ilex verticillata) provide winter structure. The front shade garden contains compact Nandina domestica, yellow Aligularia japonica ’Rocket plant,’ Kalanchoe, pink flowering phlox, azaleas, a Japanese maple (Acer palmatum), and a smoketree ‘Golden Dust’ (Cotinus). Anchored by summer blooming hydrangeas, large bunches of variegated hosta edge the foundation of the carport. Foundation plants at the house front beds are clusters of purple blooming Lirope muscari ‘Big Blue,’ pink crape myrtle (Lagerstroenia indica), a false cypress (Chamaecyparis) and oakleaf hydrangea (quercifolia); with two columnar boxwoods outlining the front door. All the beds are mulched and the garden also features hanging and potted ferns, grasses, and a fire pit in the backyard for relaxing on cool evenings. McDonald is often seen in her garden and friendly neighbors waved greetings while we were visiting with her. She also picks up limbs in the neighborhood while on walks with her sweet little dog. Our congratulations to Julie McDonald for making Cape Girardeau a more beautiful place to live. Shown above are Julie McDonald and Nadine Davis, Ramblewood Garden Club member.