Flower Poster

Posted on July 14, 2023 by Ashland Garden Club

Poster By: Goly Osotvar, AGC Member

Garden of the Month: July 2023

Posted on July 4, 2023 by Ashland Garden Club

500 Holly Street.

Notice the welcoming stone entrance to the garden at 500 Holly Street. This is the Ashland Garden Club’s Garden of the Month for July 2023, home to Kathy and Stephen French.

A massive redesign of the entire yard in 2009 was conducted by Kerry KenCairn of KenCairn Landscape Architecture, with graceful curved stairs featured in both front and back gardens.

The Frenches purchased the property in 2021 from Nina and Paul Winans who had masterminded the earlier redesign. Kathy French especially appreciates the sequential blooming times for different components of the garden which include iris, rhododendron, tulip, and hydrangea. And both Frenches enjoy the bounty of the many fruit trees that the Winans had specified in working with KenCairn, only two of which were already on the property and now include two apples, pear, sour cherry, and fig.

Before the 2009 overhaul, Paul Winans personally dug up many rocks on the steeply sloped lot, which were later incorporated into the retaining walls in back. Raised beds in the side yard allow for a fine kitchen garden, currently filled with tomato plants and an essential assortment of fresh herbs—including thyme, basil, rosemary, and chives—to season any meal.

Currently, Rudolfo Ramirez and his crew mow the lawns and do the more routine maintenance. Kathy French averages about an hour a day more closely grooming the garden. And Stephen French does the occasional big jobs, including pruning the many trees.

With thanks to Marilyn Love for suggesting this garden.

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

Today in the Garden

Posted on June 5, 2023 by CS Lucas

AGC member Janie Burcart’s garden in bloom.

Garden on the Month: June 2023

Posted on June 2, 2023 by Ashland Garden Club

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.