Garrett's yard wins Garden of the Month
by Dona Calcote Hammond Garden Club
by Dona Calcote Hammond Garden Club
The end of March and the beginning of April is the most wonderful time to drive around Hammond admiring its gardens. Even the most humble gardens are brimming with color and alive with the promise of another growing season.
How could our Garden of the Month committee possibly choose just one? On the basis of color alone, half the gardens in town would be in contention for the April award.
I was expressing this frustration to Hammond Garden Club member Ava Debus, and she gave me an idea. Instead of looking for the most spectacular garden, why not look for a beautiful low-maintenance garden? Brilliant!
We chose the garden belonging to Robert Garrett on Forbes Farm Drive. Mr. Garrett is an older gentleman with some mobility issues who takes great pride in maintaining the grounds himself.
The attractive home is set back from the street, neatly appointed with roses and a patch of beautiful Louisiana irises.
Through the garden gate and down a long path beside the house, we found a bird lover’s dream – a collection of azaleas, camellias and other blooming plants plus an array of different feeders keep a wide variety of birds flitting about the garden. Their antics are the perfect entertainment for Mr. Garrett as he watches from a comfortable chair on his patio.
Plants were chosen for their resiliency, and they were planted with care to minimize the need for weeding as much as possible. By limiting the scope of the garden and dedicating a part of every day to the needs of his plants, he keeps everything under control.
It was a pleasure to meet him and to share a few moments with him in his little paradise. Mr. Garrett’s garden reminds us that gardening is almost always possible.
How could our Garden of the Month committee possibly choose just one? On the basis of color alone, half the gardens in town would be in contention for the April award.
I was expressing this frustration to Hammond Garden Club member Ava Debus, and she gave me an idea. Instead of looking for the most spectacular garden, why not look for a beautiful low-maintenance garden? Brilliant!
We chose the garden belonging to Robert Garrett on Forbes Farm Drive. Mr. Garrett is an older gentleman with some mobility issues who takes great pride in maintaining the grounds himself.
The attractive home is set back from the street, neatly appointed with roses and a patch of beautiful Louisiana irises.
Through the garden gate and down a long path beside the house, we found a bird lover’s dream – a collection of azaleas, camellias and other blooming plants plus an array of different feeders keep a wide variety of birds flitting about the garden. Their antics are the perfect entertainment for Mr. Garrett as he watches from a comfortable chair on his patio.
Plants were chosen for their resiliency, and they were planted with care to minimize the need for weeding as much as possible. By limiting the scope of the garden and dedicating a part of every day to the needs of his plants, he keeps everything under control.
It was a pleasure to meet him and to share a few moments with him in his little paradise. Mr. Garrett’s garden reminds us that gardening is almost always possible.