July Yard of the month

Ramblewood Garden Club has awarded the July Yard of the Month to Joe Marvel, who lives and gardens at 1903 College St. here in Cape Girardeau.

Marvel is a Navy veteran who spent his Navy service at Long Beach, California. His duties included being a chef and driver for the Base Commander. Marvel proudly displays his American flag on the front of his home. Several large varieties of potted Coleus welcome visitors to the front porch, along with a hanging basket of white Petunias. Marvel researches each plant in his yard on how to provide the best possible care.

The front yard displays a perfectly shaped maple tree (Acer), while five burning bush shrubs (Euonymus alatus) line the driveway, turning bright red in the fall. Marvel planted those shrubs as a future hedge. Evergreen junipers (Juniperus) allow a space for traffic to the side yard, where a large purple blooming Wisteria adds color and interest. A red leaf crape myrtle (Langerstroemia indica) is relatively new to the side yard and promises to be a showy addition.

Other plantings in the front yard include a large blue blooming Hydrangea "Endless Summer," two blue green and creamy yellow leafed hostas "Firm Line," and two Pulmonarias "Spot On," also known as lungwort, a spotted leaf and fragrant perennial. Side yard plantings include boxwood (Buxus) and barberry (Berberis) which form foundation plantings and provide structure in the winter months.

Along the carport is a pea gravel mulched bed sporting a variety of tall and healthy red, pink, and white rose bushes (Rosa).

Marvel related that when he first mowed the lawn early on, he mowed the roses down to the nubbins, but they have come back in all their glory. A large white blooming dogwood tree (Cornus florida) stands gracefully in the back side yard, where also grows a line of tall multi-colored Rose of Sharon shrubs (Hibiscus syriacus). Marvel started all these shrubs from small cuttings.

We salute Joe Marvel for his service to our country, and congratulate him for making our city a more beautiful place to live.