South Lake

SOUTHLAKE

GARDEN TOUR Presented by

Perennial Garden Society of Southlake

MAY 2015

The Perennial Garden Society proudly presents the

2015 Southlake Garden Tour The Perennial Garden Society is a not for profit organization, comprised of a small group of hands-on gardeners from the Southlake area who have adopted the mission of promoting, encouraging, and sharing ideas and tips with other local gardeners. High on our priority list is sharing the importance of using native and adapted perennials in our suburban Metroplex landscapes, as well as the importance of water conservation. So, in presenting the 2015 Southlake Garden Tour, we receive the pleasure of sharing our dirt digging knowledge with a larger audience by highlighting five beautiful gardens utilizing these smart practices around their Southlake homes.

Our tour is presented in Southlake every other year and strives to provide quality educational exhibits and demonstrations by knowledgeable experts.

This year’s special educational topics will include “Rose Rosette in the Landscape,” “Attracting Birds to Your Yard and Keeping them Safe,” “Thriller, Spiller, Filler -Container Gardening” along with the City of Southlake providing additional education on “Mosquito Control” and “Water Conservation.”

We would like to thank all of the Homeowners and PGS members who have devoted their time and energy to make this tour a huge success. A special thank you also to the many Tarrant County Master Gardeners who are volunteering their time in each garden to help provide additional education to our visitors.

In addition, we extend a huge thank you to the sponsors who have helped us by providing their support and allowing us to continue to present the Southlake Garden Tour again this year.

Warmest Regards, Ed Richmond Ken Stone Co-Chairs of the 2015 Southlake Garden Tour

Platinum Sponsors: Alpine Materials, LLC BNSF Railway Pieter Andries

Gold Sponsors: The Flower Ranch Green Earth Services

Silver Sponsors: North Richland Hills Farmers Market Susan Schleppegrell – Keller Williams Realty Jonathan Alexander – First United Mortgage Covey’s Promotions Inc.

2015 GARDEN TOUR MAP

1 Pospisil Garden

601 Loving Court Wedding Dreams 2 Ahner Garden

1305 Plantation Drive Sprawling Wildlife

Visit gardens in any order you wish!

3 Whitt Garden

545 Round Hollow Road Tuscan Hill Splendor

5 Gee Garden

925 Southview Trail Spanish Charm

4 Ettinger Garden

804 Dove Creek Trail Planning it Out

Presented by the Perennial Garden Society of Southlake www.perennialgardensociety.com

Pospisil Garden Diane & Mark Pospisil

Layering Perennials for Yearlong Color Interest!

Loving Court, the cul-de-sac name of Tour Home One, accurately predicts what you are about to experience as you enter the gates of 601 Loving Court. For the last twelve years, Diana and Mark Pospisil have been affectionately tending to and cultivating this stunning landscape. Diana dotingly implements the skills learned from her grandmother, while Mark does the heavy lifting, and deep digging. Diana also jokes that along with providing moral support by bringing her food and drinks, Mark also beckons her inside when she has put in a long day of over-loving their beautiful creation. It was even featured in the their daughter’s wedding photos.

One of this homeowner’s favorite gardening tips is “Plant evergreen first, and then fill in with perennials leaving no bare spots in the winter.” With that simple tidbit, she has transformed this yard into a yearround colorful show stopper.

Diana’s favorite spring garden perennial is the Clematis. She deliberately grows them vertically up her established bare crepe myrtle trunks, creating elevated spring color on a plant that is still a month or more away from starting to bloom itself. What a brilliant idea!

At this garden, there will also be an educational demonstration station about Rose Rosette, a disease that is spread by microscopic mites that are carried by the wind. Not only did this threat hit the Pospisil garden, but it has also “knocked-out” numerous plants in city medians and public parks creating almost a half million dollars’ of estimated rose replacement costs in Southlake.

This adept gardener also wants to encourage you not to be afraid of moving your plants if they fail to thrive in one area. She smartly notes that all our yards are full of micro climates. Find the perfect micro climate for your plants and give them a little love and attention. Your plants will love you in return.

PGS Garden Liaison – Cathy Vollmer

“The most lasting and pure gladness comes to me from my gardens.”

- Lillie Langtry FEATURED PLANT LIST

Amaryllis Azalea, Encore Bee Balm Butterfly Bush Candytuft Cast Iron Plant Clematis Daisy, Shasta Dianthus Fern, Foxtail Fern, Holly Fern, Japanese Painted Fern, Maidenhair Fern, Wood

Gaura, White Lenten Rose Leopard Plant-Spotted Moss Phlox Oxalis, Purple Shamrock Peony, Sarah Bernhardt Rose, Drift Rose, Nearly Wild Rose, White Out Sedum, Gold Moss Veronica, Georgia Blue Viburnum, Snowball Wine Cup

Notes:

601 Loving Court

Ahner Garden Jennifer & Chuck Ahner

Flying Friends in the Landscape She greets you with outstretched wings as she is the lady that stands in the circle, guarding her household.

Today she welcomes all to stroll the lovely gardens at 1306 Plantation, maintained by Jennifer and Chuck Ahner. It didn’t take long for Jennifer to get started on the landscape as she happily admits. Her first work in this garden started the day the moving boxes arrived, as she felt compelled to start pulling weeds within her reach while she watched heavy boxes transition into her new home. From that day forward, the Ahner’s fashioned the idea of creating a home that would be perfect for staycations and entertaining, and they skillfully hit the mark!

Nearby is the shade garden with hydrangeas, columbine, oxalis, society garlic and ferns. Don't forget to look for Mr. Toad's house. The perimeter of the garden features varied sun-loving flowers and shrubs and a view of our native Cross Timbers woods.

Attracting Birds to your yard is the educational topic that will be provided at this garden. Food, shelter and water are the key ingredients according to the ornithological specialists assisting for the day. Additionally, different types of Birdhouses will be on display for your learning pleasure.

Rest on the cozy bench, watch the birds and contemplate how great it is to be in a gorgeous garden.

Feel free to wander from formal manicured front hollies and crepe myrtles to the sunny terrace with comfortable seating under the native trees. Or take a few more steps into the pool area that whisks you to a tropical hideaway surrounded by palm trees, banana plants and bougainvillea. The serenity of this elegant garden almost invites you to prop up your feet while the steaks grill in the outdoor kitchen.

PGS Garden Liaison – Carol Dowd

“How deeply seated in the human heart is the liking for gardens and gardening.”

- Alexander Smith FEATURED PLANT LIST

Ice plant Oxalis pink Windmill palm Mexican palm Mediterranean palm Persian palm Texas Rock Rose Cedar Sage Victoria Blue Sage Black and Blue Sage May Night Sage Vitex Texas Lilac Winecup Brugmansia Icey pink

Notes:

1305 Plantation Drive

Whitt Garden Norma & Kyle Whitt

“Thriller, Filler, Spiller” in a Multi-level Entertaining Garden Garden three design was created with Napa Valley as its inspiration. It boasts wonderful containers full of color and inviting places to lounge and appreciate its calming splendor. Norma and Kyle Whitt moved into their Southlake home in 2006. They were drawn to the one acre undeveloped property for its tall post oak trees and parklike setting. Within this steep downward sloping green lush sanctuary, the homeowners creatively nestled an above ground pool into the elevation change and camouflaged its low area with a raised cabana area featuring an outdoor kitchen, a bar and even a gaming area.

Beautiful details were not overlooked in this destination garden. The authentic looking stamped concrete wood plank floors in the cabana are even complete with faux board knots and nail holes. This is a gem of a garden that almost beckons you to grab a glass, bottle and cork screw.

The extensive rock work and hardscape is softened with large containers of seasonal flowers and landscaped beds, all designed by Norma and Kyle. Kyle has always enjoyed working in the yard.

As a teenager, he worked at the Texas A&M plant experiment station. However, when it comes to picking out the plants, they shop together. Then Kyle does the planting while Norma waters.

The Whitts advice to new gardeners in the Southlake area is to consult local professionals on plants that thrive in your area.

At this garden, The Flower Ranch will be providing an educational demonstration on container gardening.

Find out if they use the well-known “Thriller, Filler, Spiller” methodology, and don’t forget to ask if they have any good tips to help with vessel water retention.

While Norma and Kyle can be found working in their garden on the weekends, come sundown, most likely you will find them happily relaxing on one of their multi-level entertaining spaces with a glass of wine in hand.

PGS Garden Liaison – Angeline Depauw

“We learn from our gardens to deal with the most urgent question of the time: How much is enough?”

- Wendell Berry

FEATURED PLANT LIST

Verbena Tropical Hibiscus Lantana Angelonia Pentas Giant Penta Icicle plant Mexican Heather Purple Heart Caladium Salvia Greggi

Rosemary Spike Plant Ivy Knockout Roses Rockbush Gerber Daisy Begonias Lambs Ear Rubber Tree Sweet Potato Vine

Notes:

545 Round Hollow Road

Ettinger Garden Renee & David Ettinger

When Visions Bloom and Your Garden Grows It takes vision, time and a lot of elbow grease to take a typical builders grade landscape and turn it into a lush living ecosystem. Ask Renee and Dave Ettinger, long time do-it-yourself Southlakers who have been skillfully crafting their fabulous natural outdoor wonderland from what the builder furnished them seventeen years ago.

Renee knew what she was getting in to because she was raised as “dirt people,” a proud self-described vernacular she learned from her mom whose family farmed for a living. Hard work was fostered with that type of upbringing.

At the start, the initial yard design was disjointed and utilitarian in scope. It was all business including shade trees, the shed, and a garden for growing

produce. Then the dreaming started, and so did the subsequent planning and planting. Using garden hoses to lay out the beds and skillfully using a sharpshooter shovel, the Ettingers embarked on the journey of creating their own “Garden of Eden.”

Texas friendly perennials, dry creek beds and irises remind her of her grandmother. Shrubs are mingled together with plants, over the years of trial and error. Many items have had to be moved because their original locations were now shaded as the trees’ canopies matured.

With a well-seasoned garden already in hand, the Ettingers embarked upon another transformative step to their existing garden last spring. This additive landscape design will be revealed on this year’s tour.

The results are spectacular.

The educational stop at this garden will be mosquito control presented by the City of Southlake.

PGS Garden Liaison – Dianne Stone

“Gardens are not made by singing 'Oh, how beautiful,' and sitting in the shade.�

- Rudyard Kipling FEATURED PLANT LIST Nandina Harbor Dwarf Gulf Stream Domestica American Beautyberry Turks Cap “Big Mama�

Leopard Plant Ligularia/Farfugium Mexican Mint Marigold Miscanthus Sinensus ƔDGDJLRƕ Muhly Grass Ɣ/LQGKHLPHUƕVƕ Ɣ3LQN¾ Sedum Oak Leaf Hydrangea Alice and Semmes Beauty

Shantung Maple Fire Dragon Japanese Maples Viridis Red Dragon Indaba Shidare Pistache trees Flowering Pear Capitol Persicaria Holly- Needlepoint Tropical Giant Spider Lily African Hosta Strawberry Begonia Zeximinia Plum Yew-“Cephalotaxis Harringtonia Prostata�

Notes:

804 Dove Creek Trail

The Gee Garden Duane & Christine Gee

The Creativity of Combining Adventure for the Kids and Beauty for the Adults!

Only two and a half years old, this garden is a showstopper! The homeowners tore out 99% of the existing garden that had been overgrown and are continuing to add to their backyard paradise of mature trees with play areas for their children, a beautiful outdoor kitchen and dining area along with pool and unique rock garden. The very busy gardener in the family has demonstrated her love of perennials for sun and shade in her quest to have a low maintenance garden. She is committed to using perennials that are drought resistant, as you can tell from the plant list. Butterflies and birds find this garden attractive and the entire family enjoys all the offerings of the garden’s pleasures year round.

The Gee Garden has plants that bloom almost year round, even in the driest and hottest months of July and August and in spite of water restrictions. The gardener’s favorite garden tool is a good pair of garden boots. She also loves to add boulders to take up space and add height to the perennial beds as well as placing river rock to direct water properly through the beds.

Her other tip to gardeners is to abide by the plant tags that come with each plant as you add it to your garden for height and sun requirements.

North Texas gardens are a bit different in that our “part shade” actually means “full shade” and “part sun” really means dappled sun or morning sun. The sun is strong and will burn plants that usually are sun tolerant in other parts of the country. Her favorite plants are different varieties of autumn sage and “New Gold” lantana. They are forgiving with the soil and drought conditions, blooming from spring to fall.

The love of design and gardening is readily apparent in The Gee Garden.

The gardener is a descendent of Frederick Law Olmsted, one of two Landscape Architects for the design of Central Park in New York City in 1858. Her grandmother, along with her veteran landscape architect uncle, today still maintain the family’s Connecticut farm built in 1718. In her own words, “gardening is in my blood.”

PGS Garden Liaison – Margaret Collins

“I don't like formal gardens. I like wild nature. It's just the wilderness instinct in me, I guess.”

- Walt Disney FEATURED PLANT LIST Sun Plant List Purpleleaf Sand Cherry Bush New Gold Lantana Lemon Thyme Autumn Sage: Black Foot Daisy Red, Pink, Lipstick Salvia Victoria Shade Plant list Georgia Blue Speedwell Flax Lily Knock Out Roses Dappled Willow Anthony Water Spirea Fern Varieties Lambs Ear Hostas: Butterfly Bush Hosta siebddiana Rondo Beard Tongue ‘Elegans’ Chaste Tree, Vitex x ‘Night Before Coriopsis Christmas’ Tickseed Sunfire, x ‘Guacamole’ Butterfly Weed x ‘Albo-undulata Russian Sage marginata Grey Cotoneaster x ‘Striptese’ x ‘Crusader’ x ‘minuteman

Notes:

925 Southview Trail

Southlake’s New Pollinator Garden and Outdoor Classroom A corner of Southlake’s Bob Jones Nature center is getting a facelift. Many philanthropists, volunteers, and working hands have been quietly working behind the scenes to create a replacement strategy for its aging butterfly garden. The approved larger 50 x 100 foot design scheme is specifically planned to feature gardening and water conservation practices that attract pollinators, birds, and other wildlife. This new living interactive classroom is intended to allow for hands on demonstrations and interaction with ecological biomes that emphasize the significance of water management and xeriscaping with native Texas plants. Additionally there will be an natural water feature to entice living creatures to set up home in its ecosystem.

This extensive project will include ADA compliant concrete walkways, feral pig resistant fencing , seating areas, and instructive kiosks. Monarch watch and Frog Watch, familiar national family Citizen Science projects are expected to be incorporated as learning experiences in this garden.

Creating something of quality like this requires a large budget. Almost one hundred thousand dollars has been raised for the completion of the project. The project was designed by Carol Feldman a talented local landscape designer. Its implementation is schedules to continue through 2015 with hopes of having the grand opening this fall.

The garden is intended be maintained by an army of Tarrant County Master Gardeners, interns and volunteers. If you like to get involved, assist or donate, we suggest contacting Bob Jones Nature Center directly.

Look for their exciting plan and other informative educational items that will be displayed for you to see on this year’s tour.

Turf Grasses

PRINTER AD REDUCE FERTILIZER: Bermuda

Buffalo

St. Augustine

Turf is a high maintenance landscape plant, sometimes disease prone and requiring higher water usage. Consider reducing lawn size and replacing with plant beds, groundcovers, stones, mulch or other non-plant materials.

Buffalo ‘609’, ‘Stampede’

3

· Liriope · Monkey Grass · River Fern

SUN:

· Gregg Dalea · Pink Skullcap · Trailing Lantana · Yarrow

Sun

Blue green

Sun/ shade

Green

Sun/ part shade

Green

ts en

na Green

Co

m

m

W at er M ai nt e

r lo Co

Sun

St. Augustine ‘Amerishade’, ‘Raleigh’, ‘Floratam’

SHADE:

e nc

e iv at t

N gh

as

Li

Te x Bermuda ‘Tif 419’, ‘Sahara’, ‘Baby’,Common

ALTERNATIVES TO TURF:

REDUCE TURF:

A Texas A&M study calls for reducing fertilization application rates up to 75%! (which is half as much, half as often as recommended on most bags.)

Excess fertilizer promotes shallow roots, making turf more prone to disease, insect and drought damage.

Zoysia

Cultivars from sod only; common available from seed; invades nearby Mow ‘Tif’ and ‘Baby’ varieties twice a week to a height of 1-1.5”; mow common Bermuda once a week to 2-2.5” adjacent to preserves and natural areas; requires higher maintenance Cultivars from sod only; common available from seed; be sure to have weed-free soil at planting time to prevent future weed problems; keep Mow to a height of 2.5 -3” or leave L weeded after establishment; extremely drought tolerant but will turn unmowed for a natural look brown without moisture; susceptible to weeds if not maintained Plant from sod or plugs; most shade tolerant of grasses; coarse texture; H Mow once a week to 2.5” in the sun and avoid planting in full sun (due to higher water requirements); ‘Delmar’ 3” in the shade is the best in shade and has some disease-resistance; St. Augustine is the most disease prone of the turf grasses

M

Zoysia Coarse Leaf: Z. japonica, ‘Zeion’, ‘El Toro’, ‘JaMur’, ‘Palisades’ Narrow Leaf: Z. matrella, ‘Emerald’, ‘Zorro’

M

Mow narrow leaf types to a height of 1-1.5; mow wider leaf types to a height of 2-2.5”

sharpened mower blades; plant from sod only; coarse leaf varieties are generally more shade and drought tolerant

Turff Grasses excerpt from the Native and Adapted Landscape Plants Guide by www.austintexas.gov

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