Sherry Cordry and Paul Mair relax in their beautiful yard which is sure to be a showcase for the newly formed Western Oaks Garden Club.
They were attracted to the house because of its shady front yard and constant breeze. Just three and a half years ago they began transforming what was formally a traditional suburban St. Augustine yard with tall photinias and Texas sage (see before photos at the end) into a welcoming outdoor living space.
Although they wanted to do most of the design themselves, they did hire two garden “coaches” to provide advice. The first told them first to create large planting beds that were proportionate to the scale of the house and then to make sure they included at least three-four of one plant specie to make the design more cohesive. With this advice, together they planned the hardscape and Sherry worked on the plants. A second coach reviewed the design and helped them finalize the plantings.
The more colorful plants that need the most water are near the house while the drier, more structural plants are near the street.
For safety, Paul added a wire grid just below the waterline of the pond since the front yard location attracts neighborhood children. He also rescued the goldfish in the pond for 15 cents each from a local pet store before they were scheduled to be fed to the store’s snakes!
Art fills the yard at every turn – some whimsical and some beautiful. Windchimes add relaxing musical notes.
The landscape is filled with texture and color – from the grays and greens of agaves and sedum, to crushed glass mulch, to soft perennial hibiscus petals.
Wildlife are also welcome, except for snakes climbing to the Martin House. Paul added the metal piping to protect the little birds and installed an Owlshack they bought to attract their watchful friend.
The backyard tenting over the playscape not only protects their son, Niko, from UV rays, but also makes a case for how shading provides a much lusher St. Augustine grass than in those areas not protected.
Gazebos and benches also provide a social area on the back of the house and watch the children enjoy the playscape.
To see what you can accomplish in a few short years, take a peek:
Before Paul removed all the front plants by tying a rope around them and hauling them out with his pickup truck.
The backyard was scorched by the morning sun.
The hardscape and beds eliminated almost all of the grass in the front yard.
And the work was a family project with everyone doing their share!
