2025 Spring & Summer Gardens & Landscapes

Since 2012, Spring begins for us with a tour of gardens and landscapes in addition to a workshop put on by Missouri Master Gardeners.  It has been the best way to get motivated and inspired to plan and maintain the garden and landscape projects we have enjoyed working at our Hermitage home since 1986.  After about ten years, my husband and I no longer plan and maintain service project gardens as Master Gardeners but stay involved with an emeritus status.

I hope you have been following along in this blog since I began it in 2011 and can see our progress over the years.  Maybe you have found inspiration and motivation.  It is fun and informative for me to look back at where we have been and whre we are now.  It is my journal.  

                                                        Forsyth - Taney Co Extension Office

Saddlebrook - Rose O'Neil's Bonnebrook is nearby; the home of the Kewpie Doll

              320 Holts Lake, Branson - I like the clever yard ornamnets

540 Holts Lake, Branson - extensive and creative terraceing on a steep hillside.

  Forsyth - Taney Co Extension Office has many demonstration gardens

                           Pano view of our backyard gardens in Hermitage 

 Our front yard and patio are terraced to divert rain water from the city street away from the house.  It is a triangular lot with minimal grass lawn in front.  There are sidewalks along the northside and rear sides of the house with gravel around the gardens and lower driveway all contributing to proper rain water drainage and runoff away from the house.

 

The northside of the house is close to the property line with a row of redbud trees, lillies-of the valley, native hydrangea bushes, and a newly divided hosta garden up against the house.  This is very steep going from level main floor in front to a full walk-out basement with a 2-story height in back.  There is a rain garden and lawn at the lower end of the sidewalk.

Mailbox area gardens are terraced in two directions from the cul-de-sac city street.  The lower driveway is unpaved and takes some of the runoff rainwater.  The fence on the left is close to the property line with an arbored stairway leading to the backyard gardens.  The fence at the end of the lower driveway includes an arbored garden swing.  There is a steep hill on the other side of that fence planted in daylillies.  These gardens along the driveway are currently planted with sedum, a blue ballon plant, shasta daisies, yarrow, belles of Ireland, and morning glories on the oblisk. All come back every year. The lower garden that cannot be seen in this photo has a variety of bulbs plants that have changed over the years.  Currently there are mostly dalias, gladiolas, and some exotic lillies.

Pano view of the back yard from the back deck.  Redbud trees shad a hammock area rain garden with a variety of native plants and bushes.  Along the rear city street is a native plant area that includes excess iris and many yucca plants.  Lirope line the sidewalk on the lawn side.  There is a raised stone block garden on the other side of the sidewalk planted in dalias and gladiolas currently.  There is also an herb garden at the corner.

This is the front yard triangle pont of the lot. The lawn on the right belongs to the neighbor.  This garden is planted in succulants and native prickly pear cactus.  It is the farthest end of watering for my 100' hose.  The fence is where I display the American flag on holidays.

The upper front yard terrace has plants that come back every year.  These include sedums, succulants, phlox, coneflowers, clematis, peonies, Russian sage, and blue salvia.  There are a couple of oak leaf hydrangea bushes behind the bluebird house.  Sometime a volunteer sunflower pops up here and there.  This is the main view from the front patio.

View of the backyard from the carport with vegetable gardens to the left and the lawn to the right with the only remaining oak tree.  The boxwood hedge separates the leveled sidewalk area from the steep slopes where several gardens are terraced and steps allow access.  The early morning fog lifts from the wooded areas at the edge of city limits.  There are several creeks that flow down from the hills after a rain into the Pomme de Terre River nearby.

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This visiting hawk had been coming around a lot latelt and watches the back yard perched on a dead branch of the only oak tree.  It is about eye-level from our deck. 

The newest completed garden is in the backyard at the corner of the house under the deck.  The bronze sculpture is in its final resting place after a long journey and history.  

A full moon illuminates the landscape and is especially awesome to view from the back deck.