Tag Archives: Ruth Sloan

September 2022: Garden of the Month

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453 Tucker Street

This time of year, many Ashland gardens are starting to look little tired, victims of prolonged excessive heat and thirst.  Ornamental grasses do particularly well in these conditions and those gardens that feature them continue to thrive.  Elizabeth and Gerard Boulanger’s gorgeous front yard at 453 Tucker Street is a great example and is the Ashland Garden Club’s Garden of the Month for September 2022.  It requires only a modest amount of water to put on a beautiful show year-round.

The Boulangers moved here in June of 2021.  They tidied the front yard, particularly giving room to the Japanese blood grass, the leaves of which are currently a stunning dark purple, so it wouldn’t get lost in the thicket.  Their display of ornamental grasses highlights the varieties of colors (some of which change seasonally), blooms, shape, and blade structure. The large green grasses directly in front of the house turn a bronze color in Autumn.

They have done a lot of work on the side yards during their short tenure here, including a massive restructuring on the western side, terracing the space to make it more usable by creating a bocce ball/horseshoes court and pleasant patio on different levels.  The handsome block retaining walls were created by Jorge Regalado and his crew from Firststone Masonry.  Elizabeth credits Gerard for the design of this area, but admits to making some suggestions.  Dwarf gingko trees border the wooden stairs on one side and buddleia shrubs border the other side.  They have started a hedge along the fence in back, along the north side of the property, to soften the near part of the nice view toward the hills.  Trees include juniper, maple, and ash.

Elizabeth and Gerard personally work in the yard when they can and clearly enjoy the plants.  Particular favorites are Pacific northwest myrtle, hydrangea, sweet peas, dogwood, and lavender.  Christie Mackison of Shooting Star Nursery has advised the Boulangers on plant choices.

Photos by Larry Rosengren

Article by: Ruth Sloan, AGC Garden of the Month Chair

August 2022 Garden of the Month

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994 Kestral Parkway

Jill Weston’s lovely garden at 994 Kestral Parkway is the Ashland Garden Club’s Garden of the Month for August 2022.  She has been gardening here for about three years, starting from the nearly blank slate of bare dirt and dead trees of a previously neglected property.

 In late July and early August, black-eyed Susans dominate the front yard, putting on a dazzling display.  Climbing roses, transplanted from a stunning five-acre spread east of Ashland that Jill and her late husband shared before downsizing, thrive against fences surrounding a small patio in back.  The north side of the property, on the Stoneridge Avenue side of this corner lot, holds rhododendrons, clematis vines, and small fig trees.

 Daffodils enliven the front yard before the black-eyed Susans pop up from the ground each year.  Jill refers to the latter as “hardy, determined girls.”  They share the space at this time of year—somewhat unwillingly—with echinacea, rose campion and many other plants.

 Jill spends a lot of time in the garden, loving every minute.  And she thinks about the garden much of the time even when she’s not in it.  She has an eye for design that enhances the overall display. Of plants not already mentioned, Jill loves cosmos, coreopsis, tithonia, and zinnias among many others.

 Jill has had guidance over the years from Tom Scales of the garden department of the Grange Co-op in Ashland.  And her friend Silvino has been helping her in this garden and the previous one for 15 years.

 Jill has only recently learned the benefits of feeding her plants.  She says she’s been slow to adapt to new gardening conditions, and terrible at being practical.  But none those flaws show in the current result.

Jill recommends that, if you want to see the black-eyed Susans in their full glory, you visit very soon because the extreme heat is taking its toll.  This is a neighborhood of many fine gardens.  Nearby, check out 305 Stoneridge, across the street from Jill on Kestral and 336 Stoneridge, across the alley from Jill.

Photos by Larry Rosengren

With thanks to Marilyn Love for the suggestion,

Ruth Sloan, Garden of the Month, Chair

June 2022: Garden of the Month

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780 Walker Street

Lorraine Vail’s and Ed Smith’s garden at 780 Walker Street is the Ashland Garden Club’s Garden of the Month for June 2022.  It is a very special garden in many ways, not least of which is the couple’s desire to share the beauty and knowledge they have gained through creating this garden.

They started with a nearly blank slate in the Fall of 2013.  Lorraine took an Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) course at nearby SOU, taught by professional landscape designer Fran Adams, during which she submitted a design for the OLLI courtyard garden.  Completing that assignment earned the homeowners complimentary consultations on their home garden from Adams and from Seth Barnard of Solid Ground Landscape.  Ultimately, Solid Ground installed the hardscape and did the initial planting, working from Lorraine’s design.  Solid Ground continues to consult on design and provides seasonal assistance although Ed and Lorraine take care of it day-to-day, averaging ten hours a week.

A second phase began during the pandemic when the couple had time on their hands.  During this phase, Ed, a talented woodworker, completed the attractive fence and added gorgeous gates in 2020.  This allowed them to plant without worrying about deer preferences.  They have had problems with bears trying to climb the fence (and doing significant damage in the process).  The side garden provides a more intimate space for relaxation and contemplation, and is very colorful at this time of year.

A unique and charming feature of this Japanese-inspired garden is “The Garden Box;” a display case that they installed to inform passersby about the garden.  Changing the contents frequently allows them to describe specific plants, share photos, and enchant with poetry about the garden.

Both Lorraine and Ed enjoy the many changes in the garden throughout the year and look forward to seeing changes between years as plants change and mature.  An important aspect of their design is contrast in color and texture.  Among the couple’s favorite plants are horny goat weed, the variegated leaves of which stay beautiful all year; spirea in its many forms; brunnera; and weeping redbud.

Peruse the Garden Box and peek through the gate to enjoy this special place.

Last photo by Lorraine Vail, taken in the Fall.  All other photos by Larry Rosengren, taken this Spring.

Article by: Ruth Sloan, AGC Garden of the Month Chairman

May 2022: Garden of the Month

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The beautiful and colorful landscape at 595 Great Oaks Drive is the Ashland Garden Club’s Garden of the Month for May.  It’s the home of Gerry and Sherwood Goozee, located at the southwest corner of Great Oaks Drive and Mountain Meadows Drive.

Sherwood has been gardening here for nine years, moving from a 42-acre ranch near Ukiah, California where he planted 100 trees.  At 94 years old, Sherwood has slowed down a little but he still mows the lawn!  Sherwood now has help from their friend Denise Moffatt who weeds and plants as directed by Sherwood.  He says he still loves “playing in the dirt.”

 

Sherwood is an artist (check out his gorgeous paintings of flowers and other things at https://goozeepaintings.weebly.com) and it shows in his love of color in the garden.  Azaleas, rhododendrons, Irish roses, and—right now—dogwood flourish.  Two eastern oak trees anchor the yard.  Early in their residence, Sherwood removed many large bushes that he felt had not added much to the overall display.  He certainly got it all right.

Article by: Ruth Sloan, AGC Garden of the Month Chairperson

Photos by Larry Rosengren.  Some photos were taken in May 2021. 

With thanks to Marilyn Love, AGC Member,  for the suggestion. And thanks to Viki Ashford, AGC Member, who installed the GotM sign.

Garden of the Month: August 2021

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House of Thai – 1667 Siskiyou Blvd

The August 2021 Garden of the Month from the Ashland Garden Club is the front of the House of Thai restaurant at 1667 Siskiyou Blvd.  The restaurant opened in May of 1989, after remodeling the building and starting the garden.

In the mid 80’s, Jit Kanchanakaset, a single mother of five came to Ashland in search of a safe, peaceful life her for family.  A strong-willed, energetic, and hardworking woman, she recruited her kids to help establish the eatery, and then later its garden. 

Ten years later, she met and married Phil Crompton.  They spent much of their time doing what they enjoyed most, gardening and giving back to the village in Buriram, Thailand where she grew up, by donating to schools, hospitals, and underprivileged families.  Jit passed on in April 2020.

The garden has evolved over time with gradual improvements.  There are large, well-established ponderosa pines along the eastern edge.  Gorgeous rhododendrons bloom beneath the pines in May.  Much smaller crepe myrtle trees line the western edge and bloom in August.  In between are a small fishpond and waterfall that were constructed by the contractor who was remodeling the building.  Blue herons have been known to visit the pond, hoping to catch the elusive fish.  Also there is a small lawn, plus a stunning Buddhist shrine. 

The colorful concrete and steel shrine, said to weigh 1000 pounds, was installed a little more than twenty years ago. Jit’s legacy lives on through her family as they continue her traditions while carrying on the restaurant. The family and staff offer respect to the shrine every Friday morning, honoring the house spirits and summoning goodwill.

Article by: Ruth Sloan, AGC Garden of the Month Committee Chair

Photos by Larry Rosengren.

Garden(s) of the Month: June 2021

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The Ashland Garden Club’s Garden of the Month for June 2021 is unusual.  It’s unusual because it is three gardens and unusual because they are back gardens.  Gardens selected for GotM honors must be substantially visible from the public right-of-way (street or sidewalk ordinarily) so that usually means front gardens.  These three back gardens qualify because they are visible from Ashland Creek Park (on Hersey near Oak) and these three are all in a row. 

Directions: From Hersey Street, walk along the right (east) side of the park about half way from front to back and watch for signs.  Please stay in the park.  You will see some gorgeous gardens.

The first (geographically) of the selected gardens is the furthest south of the three; the back garden of Deborah and Jeff Wihtol of 589 Oak Street.  They started their garden with a rounded patio and gently winding path that Jeff designed.  Then in 2017 the Wihtols had Solid Ground Landscaping plan and install most of the plants.  Since then, they’ve made changes on their own.  The recent loss of a large box elder tree brought more sun to the south side of the garden than it had in the past, to which they are adjusting.  And most recently they arranged for Jane Hardgrove to refresh the landscape and accommodate the new sun situation.  Among Deb’s favorite plants are hydrangeas, daphne odora, cape fuchsia, and orange sedge.  Routine maintenance is by Juan Guerrero.

Wihtol Garden
Wihtol Garden

The second selected garden belongs to Ursula and Marvin Webster of 603 Oak Street whose historic 1897 home influenced plant selections.  Sage Hill Landscape installed the hardscape and initial plantings in back following guidance from the Websters.  As Ursula put it, “What would grandma do?” was her guiding principle.  A massive trumpet vine, stone walls, ivy, and treasured perennials survive from the house’s earliest days.  Among her favorites are plants that she considers “romantically old fashioned” such as hydrangea, peonies, erigeron, and catmint.  The hillside setting dictated stairs, and aspen trees thrive in the lowest parts of the garden, nearest the park.  Their quaking leaves add movement to the garden.  Ursula handles routine maintenance with assistance from Juan Guerrero.  The small building at the back of the garden is a straw-bale office built by EcoNest.

Webster Garden
Webster Garden

The third selected garden belongs to Susan McKennon of 615 Oak Street.  The yard is dominated by a huge old oak that some believe is the tree for which Oak Street was named.  That mighty tree is a picture of health thanks to Susan’s care and Canopy’s regular maintenance.  Her dazzling stand of iris stems from an early gift from Schreiners, friends of the family—well known for iris cultivation. Susan brought the iris starts from a previous home.  Solid Ground designed the landscape in 2013, bringing in tons of boulders to stabilize the steep terrain and installing stairs to help people negotiate the hill between the house and the park.  Solid Ground brought in many trees except the old oak, including Japanese maples and a dwarf gingko.  A friend’s gift of an elderberry bush draws attention at this time of year with its dark purple foliage and pale pink flowers.  Rudolpho Ramirez and his crew maintain this garden.

McKennon Garden
McKennon Garden
McKennon’s Tree viewed from Webster’s Garden

Article by: Ruth Sloan, AGC Garden of the Month Director

All photos by Larry Rosengren