Yellow and red blooms in Lynn McDonald’s garden:
Basket of Gold (Aurinia saxatilis), Potentilla (Cinquefoil), California poppy (Papaver), and a Peony (Paeonia)




59 Sixth Street
The front yard at 59 Sixth Street delights all who see it. The home of Sarah and Dennis Jeske is the Ashland Garden Club’s Garden of the Month for May 2023. The cheerful paint on the buildings, the art in the garden, the charming fence and gate, and the prolific flowers mix all together to create an enchanting display.
The garden design and installation were done by previous owners, Zelpha and Harry Hudson, who owned the property until 2017. Zelpha, especially, is credited with much of the creativity now on view. The Jeskes have made their mark, however, with the addition of the glass flowers as well as the fence and gate designed and built by Dennis.
Daisies of three kinds dominate the garden in May; shasta, marguerite, and erigeron. Also on view now and through much of the summer are nepeta, lavender, and wooly lambs ear. Pomegranate, pieris, rhododendron, and a gorgeous camellia surround the welcoming front porch.
Sarah calls herself the chief weeder in the back yard and veggie garden, Moises and his crew from Reyes Property Management provide routine maintenance.
This is a garden meant to be enjoyed by all who pass by.
Article by Ruth Sloan, AGC Garden of the Month Coordinator
All Photos by Larry Rosengren
Ashland Garden Club member, Peter Finkle came across this photo while doing research about 4th of July celebrations at the Southern Oregon Historical Society. This photo was taken of an article in the Medford Mail Tribune dated July 5, 1976; it’s about Ashland’s 4th of July parade Grand Prize winner, the Ashland Garden Club. All flowers on the float were real. They were contributed by garden club members and friends!
“Ashland Garden Club took the top prize of all the entries in Sunday’s parade through downtown Ashland.”
Float: Betsy Ross sewing on the first US flag