MAY YARD OF THE MONTH
The yard at 2320 Hillcrest St. is always a perfect blend of color and texture. This is the third time this yard has been awarded the AHNA Yard of the Month–a record since the awards started in 2008.
Laura and Bob Jenkins have transformed their award-winning yard multiple times over the nineteen years they’ve called 2320 Hillcrest St. home. They enjoy doing all the work themselves, including planning, purchasing, digging, planting, weeding and mowing. Laura selects most of the plants, except for the maple trees which are Bob’s special favorites that he buys exclusively from Metro Maples in Rendon.
The two towering red oaks on the south side of the property are the only remnants of prior owners. Holly shrubs, yaupon holly, and dwarf nandinas create the backdrop for the front beds with purple oxalis and a Fireglow and Crimson Queen Japanese maples along the front row. This area gets morning sun, but has not been enough to sustain the geraniums, caladiums and begonias Laura has planted in the past. Several years ago, Laura added an African iris that needs shade. Even though it has yet to bloom, she keeps waiting.
Gone is the towering stand of Italian cypress along the northern border of their property. The cypress caught a fungus and eventually succumbed to it. The commanding Fire Dragon Shantung Maple next to the front curb was planted sixteen years ago and is nicknamed Ben, in honor of the birth of Jenkins’ first grandson who turned 16 this year. A Chinese pistache tree is on the other side of the front sidewalk.
The side yard bed next to the house features dianthus, hearty hibiscus, purple hearts, lorapetalum, elephant ears, hydrangea, caladiums, hostas, and more oxalis. Wisteria climbs along the wall of the house.
To get rid of stubborn nutgrass, Laura spent several months this winter digging up the large bed along El Campo Ave. “I dug down five inches, got out of most of the nutgrass and then double layered it with 12-year weed barrier fabric, topping it off with mulch.” Today, in bloom are several kinds of daylilies, Mexican feather grass, amaryllis, salvia, Dutch iris, tropical hibiscus and Blue Daze. In the center of the bed is a Blue Atlas cedar, the last one standing–three others died over the years.
Laura gets her plants everywhere, sometimes trading with neighbors and often shopping for small plants at Lowe’s, Plantus, Archie’s, or Premier Nursery. “If you buy a plant in a gallon pot, it’s already fully grown. I don’t like starting out with giant plants. I want to grow them myself.”
Laura and Bob, both retired Fort Worth firefighters, received a $25 gift certificate to Archie’s Gardenland and a year’s membership in Arlington Heights Neighborhood Association, courtesy of AHNA.
If you see an award-worthy yard, even your own, please let us know by sending the address to president@arlingtonheightsna.com.