164 Sixth Street, Ashland OR

There is a special quality to the gardens at 164 Sixth Street, the Ashland Garden Club’s Garden of the Month for May.  It’s not just that children are so welcome and comfortable here and that plants seem always to be blooming, but that they are such interesting combinations of plants and hardscape.  This is Karen Loop’s garden, where she has lived for 25 years, raised her two children–now adults, and has run a preschool, Sunflower Cottage, for 18 years.

Over the years, Karen planted everything on the property except the street tree, and created every pathway, planting bed, deck, and fence.  Ten truckloads of soil were brought in.  She collects heart-shaped stones that are displayed throughout.  With both help and hindrance from young children, Karen maintains the garden with three-to-four hours a week of work, on average.  The bare spot on the right side of the front yard is destined to be a tiny patio when Karen has recovered from a back injury.

This is a magical space where children are encouraged to explore.  Right now, the dogwoods are in bloom, along with redbud, daphne, lilac, and viburnum.  Among Karen’s favorite plants are peonies, feverfew, and foxglove.  Camellias, Rose of Sharon, pieris, hellebore, hydrangea, and rhododendrons abound.  There are beds for vegetables, blueberries, and raspberries toward the back, and play equipment in its own area.

Article by Ruth Sloan