July 2019 Yard of the Month: 705 Thompson Drive

Congrats to the Smith Family! Here is what they had to say about their yard.

Thank you so much for the honor of Yard of the Month, and the yard thanks you!!  It’s a living breathing thing you know, and welcomes the honor too.

Our family moved here over 20 years ago.  Back then the yard was more of a playground than anything else.  Sunny in the morning and shady in the afternoon.  Perfect for kids.  Except for the fruit bearing Mulberry in the center of the yard that dropped rotting fruit and drew clouds of flies.

Over following the years, the Oak trees grew larger and the shade made the grassy yard smaller and smaller.  The Mulberry eventually succumbed to acute bad weather, creating a bright sunny center to the yard.

Once the kids had grown, the need for a play area yielded to carrying on my grandmother’s tradition of lovingly caring for plants.  The Turk’s Cap was one of her favorites.  Unfortunately, the amount of shade, long periods of Texas drought and the massive rains we’ve had in recent years, made choosing suitable plants for the less sunny areas a real challenge.  That and the need to dig up the front walk to install a French drain system didn’t help matters…well actually it did.  The extra soil against the house and the new flagstone walkways provide amazing drainage and a softer feel.

As you might imagine, the choice of perennials of all shapes and sizes was a natural one.  Some native and some not so native, but almost all were hardy enough to survive.  Through many trials and lots of tribulations, several varieties have set deep roots and continue to flourish.  Those that can’t make it are experimentally replaced by either annuals or other perennials.  It’s been an everlasting search for color and capability.

A big shout-out to my daughter Emma who put her amazing artistic talents and her flourishing botanical skills to work creating multiple potted plant arrangements and choosing plants for the yard.  It is so amazing what a colorful glazed pot can do as an accent piece.  She’s a whiz.  While she moved away two years ago, she still sends sketches of possible plant arrangements for me to try.  Which of course I do.  

And I cannot thank my neighbors enough for all of the encouragement and kindness they’ve shown over the years.  They are truly a blessing, and one of the main reasons I still live here.

Brent Smith

Yard of the Month

Is your yard a source a pride? A work of art? A labor of love? It’s time to receive some formal recognition for all those hours of hard work.

The HPNA Yard of the Month contest is for all residents of Heights Park neighborhood, and nominations are due by the 20th of each month. Nominations received by the 20th will be considered for the next month’s YOM. Nominations received after that will be considered in the next cycle.

Visit this site each month to see photos of the best yards in our neighborhood. View the Contest Rules here.

Nominate a Yard!

Yard Of The Month Archives

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

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2006