--> Heights Garden Club


Next Event Saturday, June 13, 10AM


Garden Tour 347 West 27th St.

This charming traditional Heights Bungalow sits gracefully on a rare triple lot, offering an expansive canvas of green space that immediately captured the hearts of Ellen and Paula Parker-Krantz. From the moment they laid eyes on this home, they saw beyond its classic façade to the incredible potential it held - not just as a living space, but as a personal sanctuary where gardening and outdoor enjoyment could flourish.

When they purchased the home in 2022, it was adorned with a few gorgeous, mature trees, three one hundred-year-old pecans, a dogwood, a maple and magnolia. A minimal sprinkling of azaleas, provided a natural frame for the home without overwhelming it. This subtle landscaping was perfect, leaving the structure and space open to Ellen and Paula's vision. They dreamed of crafting inviting garden areas and intimate outdoor retreats, both front and back, that would complement the bungalow's traditional charm while reflecting their personal style.

The yard has come to life over time and they have made some changes along the way. In front of the iron fence, they have planted mostly Texas Natives including salvias in pinks and blues, various lilies in yellows and reds, agapanthus, lantana, pentas, copper canyon daisies, spotted iron plants and phlox. In the front beds, they added azaleas, variegated ginger, ligularia, pink, lavender and white pentas, agapanthus, pink and white caladiums, night blooming jasmine, hostas, and loropetalum.

In May of 2024, sadly, the derecho took down the largest of the three pecan trees. Where the pecan tree once stood is now a new garden with dwarf wax myrtles, Texas natives and grasses.

We want to give a special thank you to Joshua's Native Plants and Garden Antiques, Inc. for the gift certificate awarded to our host. Joshua's is located at 502 W. 18th here in the Heights.


June Yard of the Month

1707 Rutland
Barbara Biel is an artist and her yard at 1707 Rutland clearly reflects this. Inspired by English gardens, Biel enjoys taming the wildness, but also keeping it natural looking. This is a small personal garden where you see the owner's personality in the selection and placement of plants. Her pallet of plants is artfully arranged into distinctive garden 'rooms'. And while this is a small garden, it is densely packed with new discoveries at every turn.


Trees include many varieties: crape myrtle, Rose of Sharons, Moringa, fig, hop tree, red barren peach, Bauhinia, and many dwarf Japanese maples. Four Will Flemming yaupons create a wall around the patio. Shrubs include a massive Loropetalum, Texas sage, rock rose, Brazilian Princess flower, box woods, knock-out rose, oak leaf hydrangea, and a unique Ligustrum Seninse Wimbei. Two flowering vines, trumpet and wisteria, provide a screen from the street and driveway.


Bulbs include Burgundy crinums, lilies, day lilies, dietes irises, crocosmia, and amaryllis. California gerbera daisies, cosmos, chrysanthemums, zinnias, nasturtiums, a first-time dahlia, and a wide selection of salvias are just a few of the smaller flowering plants in her garden. A variety of ground covers, succulents and ferns are scattered among the perennials and annuals.

Her yard clearly demonstrates how to get the maximum amount of plant viewing happiness out of a small space. This garden invites quiet sitting and reflection. Nothing better than sitting and watching plants grow. Of course, friends make it even nicer


The garden club would like to thank Joshua's Native Plants and Garden Antiques for the gift certificate presented to our Yard of the Month recipient. Joshua's is located at 502 W. 18th here in the Heights.


Last Event 5/9

Garden Tour 4507 Apollo

The backyard of Bob and Cindy Wolfram is a nature lover's delight. Their yard has transitioned since their move to the neighborhood in 1998. They began with soil work with the goal to reduce the clay in our yard. With routine mulching and maintaining the beds, the beds are now in great shape, and they add Leaf Mold Compost to maintain. In the earlier days the beds changed including developing the kidney bed in the front yard and expanding the other beds in this area as well. The backyard was transitioned to add a water feature and the main bed is approximately 20 feet deep, supporting an Italian Fig, two apple trees along with the blackberries that were planted to show the children in the neighborhood how berries grew and they did not just arrive in a package at the store.

After Hurricane Ike destroyed Bob and Cindy's yard and plants, we decided to rethink our yard and researched how to certify the yard as a Natural Wildlife Habitat. After years of intentional plant selection to ensure the yard provided shelter, food, and water, our goal was achieved and is ongoing with changes as opportunity arises.

The efforts continue to reduce the grass space and work to provide additional plants that support the butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds along with the Blue Jays that love the peanuts provided. During the different seasons, the seed selection changes to support the migration of the birds in the area.

A Plant List is provided for your information as you visit the yard.


The garden club would like to thank New Roots Landscaping, Nursery and Antiques for the gift certificate presented to our garden tour host. New Roots is located at 5117 North Main here in the Heights.


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