Gladiolus Murielae, common names Abyssinian gladiolus, or Fragrant gladiolus. Formerly placed in the Acidanthera genus so it’s often sold as ‘Acidanthera Bicolor’.
Native to eastern Africa, from Ethiopia to Malawi.
USDA Hardiness Zones 7-10. But, it is best to dig corms and store to winter over or protect potted corms in a garage or heated greenhouse.
Soil: Well-drained, humus soil, medium moisture. Adapts to a wide range of soils except heavy clay.
The selection committee for the Ashland Garden Club’s garden of the month program first noticed the beautiful garden at the corner of C and 8th streets over a year ago. When we went by again in September 2018 we knew we had our September 2019 Garden of the Month. By September, most gardens are starting to fade, at least, and some are downright shabby, but not Kelly and Jeff Straub’s gorgeous place at 110 8th Street. Kelly’s diligent work shows to good advantage all year. She keeps the planting areas well groomed, and always a delight to see with blooming plants.
The Straubs purchased the property only two-and-a-half years ago. In the short time since then, she has transformed the neglected yard into a showplace. In the interim, she broke first one wrist and then the other, making the work doubly difficult. But she has had help. Neighbor Jack Crawford has been instrumental with assistance, as a source of seeds for many of the plants that grace the garden, and for design consultation with Kelly. Jane Hardgrove of Bearclaw Services designed the back garden which is also gorgeous if somewhat more utilitarian with patios and raised beds for produce. Until recently when City of Ashland crews finally solved the problem, the Straubs also had to cope with flooding following serious rain storms.
A special quality of this property
is that the “parking strip” (the area between the sidewalk and the street) is
especially wide, making the sidewalk appear to go right through the heart of
the front and side yards. This does two things: It makes the
parking strip more versatile as a desirable planting space and it also makes
pedestrians feel a part of the garden. Being a block from a popular
coffee shop also increases foot traffic, and Kelly enjoys interacting with
passersby as she works in the garden. Understandably, she gets a lot of
positive feedback.
The stunning display of coreopsis is just coming to an end this year, but the rudbeckia, echinacea, and gaillardia are still going strong and their similar flower form makes an interesting combination. Earlier in the year, foxglove put on a fabulous show, and hellebores star in the winter. Zinnias are a standout in the back yard, where they are protected from deer.
Other favorites include daphne, euphorbia, catmint, erysium, and bee balm. A vibrant purple, walkable verbena stands out in and around the walkway from C Street. Even the small area around the fire hydrant on the corner is lush with low succulents.
The street tree on the C side is mimosa which is blooming now. Other especially large trees on the property include cedar and ponderosa pine. A dogwood is one of the few smaller holdovers from previous owners, and the Straubs recently added a crepe myrtle.
Article by: AGC Member Ruth Sloan Photos by: Larry Rosengren
The Chelsea Chop is a method of pruning that limits the size, controls the flowering season, and often decreases the flopping of a number of herbaceous perennials.”
Check out the eye-catching garden at the corner of Harrison and Holly. Becky and Will Sherman’s beautiful property at 333 Harrison Street is the Ashland Garden Club’s Garden of the Month for August. Becky is the primary gardener and stone-wrangler. Will built the handsome fences and deck, and manages the irrigation system. When they purchased the home in 2010, the yard was a blank slate. It is anything but that now.
The dahlias and zinnias are sensational. Golden bamboo, controlled by constant monitoring and a deep barrier, provides privacy and a graceful background to smaller plants. Nandina is a favorite “filler” for its year-round interest. Vegetables are interspersed with flowers. The southwest edge of the property is dominated by a small pine and cedar forest.
Becky says the one piece of advice she likes to give to novice gardeners is that it’s OK to cut plants back radically. Her love of blooming plants is a way to fondly remember her late mother who also loved flowers. She averages eight hours a week in the garden, but enjoys the work which she says is better for her than a gym membership. She is constantly adding and changing the plantings.
Becky credits neighbor Jennifer Loizeaux for giving early garden advice, and friend Tom Bradley for building wood deck furniture and planter box projects.
The Ashland Women’s Civic Improvement Club was founded in 1908 for the purpose of improving and beautifying Ashland. The home for this civic organization was built from 1921 to 1922, and was later known as the Winburn Way Community Center. The Civic Club, instrumental in obtaining additional land for Lithia Park and in supporting Ashland’s Fourth of July parades, always saw its role as promoting civic pride (and incidentally boosting tourism by providing a place to welcome women visitors to town). The work of Ashland’s Civic Club was typical of these progressive era groups around the country. Raising funds to build a clubhouse was not easy and it was only through the philanthropy of Jesse Winburn (for whom the building was later named) that the club ladies found the funds to erect their Arts and Crafts bungalow, with a central covered entrance porch.
After the formal dedication of the clubhouse it was used for meetings, banquets, shows and tourist events until it became a USO headquarters during World War II. After the War it served as the home of the Ashland Parks and Recreation Department for a number of years. The building became quite run down, and in 1985 the City of Ashland took control of the property, which was restored and rededicated to its original use for local club meetings, dances, exhibitions and presentations. Thus, it continues to contribute to the original ideals of its founders.
The Women’s Civic Improvement Clubhouse, now the Ashland Community Center, located across from Lithia Park at 59 Winburn Way, is open to the public as a meeting space, and is also available for private rental for a nominal fee. Call 541-488-0231 for further information.
The Ashland Women’s Civic Improvement Club is now the Ashland Garden Club.
Women’s Civic Improvement Clubhouse c.1923 Courtesy of The Terry Skibby Collection
Central covered entrance porch of the Women’s Civic Improvement Clubhouse Photograph by Terry Skibby
The Straubs purchased the property only two-and-a-half years ago. In the short time since then, she has transformed the neglected yard into a showplace. In the interim, she broke first one wrist and then the other, making the work doubly difficult. But she has had help. Neighbor Jack Crawford has been instrumental with assistance, as a source of seeds for many of the plants that grace the garden, and for design consultation with Kelly. Jane Hardgrove of Bearclaw Services designed the back garden which is also gorgeous if somewhat more utilitarian with patios and raised beds for produce. Until recently when City of Ashland crews finally solved the problem, the Straubs also had to cope with flooding following serious rain storms.
