Ramblewood Garden Club September yard of the month

Ramblewood Garden Club is pleased to award the September Yard of the Month to Sue Pensel, who gardens in the Alma Schrader School area.

One of the most outstanding features of this yard is the use of mass plantings of a selected variety of plants. Large arborvitaes (Thuja) with bright green foliage grow tall on three sides of the yard creating an enclosed private back area. The arborvitae and a mature Canadian hemlock (Tsuga) tree provide afternoon shade for the back yard and the patio. Highlights in the front yard include three trimmed evergreen boxwood (Buxus 'Green Mountain'), a red leafed Japanese maple (Acer palmatum), a potted dwarf Alberta spruce (Picea glauca) and coral rose bushes on either side of the entry door. A hanging Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata) and pink potted Begonia complete this welcoming entrance.

Sue designed and built her home 20 years ago and has been gardening ever since. Sue told a story of when she was a beginning gardener: A friend came over to teach her about planting and asked if she had a trowel. Sue responded, "Will a spoon do?" She has come a long way and has planted more than 160 roses in multiple hues that fill her yard with color. These "Knock Out" shrub roses are planted throughout the front, side and back yard and also in pots on the patio. The curving lines of the planted beds soften the edges of the driveway and corners of the yard and are used throughout the yard to lead a visitor to the back area. A sharp edge of the lawn is made by using an edging tool which keeps the grass from creeping into the beds. Using lavender blooming flowers and shrubs as an accent, the roses in shades of coral, yellow, peach, pink and red bring to mind the paintings from an artist's palette. Different colors of the many growing crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia) shrubs add to the colorful summer view.

Lirope 'Big Blue' which blooms with a purple spike-like flower in the summer grows in a mass at the lower side of the driveway and forms the edge of the patio. Other lavender plants used throughout the garden are Salvia, Catmint, dwarf purple Asters, and purple leafed Sand Cherries (Prunus pumila). The mass planting of just a few plants can have a big impact on creating a visually interesting yard. As we were talking with Sue, a neighbor drove by and stopped to suggest that Sue receive the Yard of the Month for two months! Clearly, the neighbors also appreciate Sue's efforts in creating this beautiful yard.

Ramblewood Garden Club congratulates Sue Pensel on her yard and for making our town a more beautiful place to live.