Love Your Yard! 2021

Terry has lived at 18 Banff Court East for 17 years and regularly admires all the nice yards and gardens in her immediate area. She is self-taught and has always loved gardening. With the help of a close friend, she maintains beautiful gardens in both the front and back yards. Her favourite plants and flowers are the hostas, lilies, and hens and chicks but she says she loves them all and this is very evident when you see the loving care that she and her friend put into the gardens. The unique blue and white petunias and purple spikes add an interesting look to the gardens. 

When asked about using rain barrels, Terry enthusiastically replied that she has five rain barrels because rainwater is so much healthier for their lawns and gardens than tap water. She can see the difference in the lawn when it rains compared to when sprinklers are used. Unfortunately, it has been so dry this summer that all five rain barrels are empty.  

It is a shame that passersby cannot see the large, beautifully laid out backyard with many attractive features including a wishing well, a windmill, bird baths and hand-painted ornamental rocks. A highlight is a three-compartment birdhouse intricately handcrafted by a senior from Discovery Place. See the attached photo.   

Love Your Yard! story from Dawn and Ray Croker, 695 Kananaskis Drive. 

The following was written by Dawn Croker:  

“Hello” from our porch!

It was such a lovely and unexpected surprise arriving home to find a “Love Your Yard” sign on the lawn! Thank you so much! 

We share a front lawn with our neighbours to the west which gives us a small amount of real estate to work with, so we tore out an old hedge to open up everything. We designed a simple but different garden layout by adding Calgary Boxwood bushes (my favourite plant this year) and beautiful rock on top of landscape cloth for lower maintenance. My husband built a pergola so the down spout could be directed onto our lawn. 

This has been a very upside-down year and a half for everyone so with the hope that a friendly hello from our house would be appreciated by passersby, I designed a black and white with greenery “Hello” porch. I painted terra cotta pots and added solar lights to some of them to place on the steps. We added paper flowers on the wall and wreaths with little pots, and Hello signs. The welcome posts, throw pillows and the painted large flowerpot were all DIY projects that I hoped would make a friendly sight! At night I love to look at all the lights!

Dawn Croker, Love Your Yard! Recipient

Congratulations to the residents at Kananaskis Court on Kananaskis Drive for being selected by a Devon resident for Love Your Yard! The resident who chose Kananaskis Court noted that she was impressed by recent improvements and the attractive appearance of all the homes.

Kananaskis Court includes 14 duplex units (7 buildings) surrounding a circular courtyard. It is classified as a bare land condominium. Each resident owns their unit and the land it sits on. Only a few items are maintained as part of the condo strata to keep the fees lower: the roofs, the front decks and a backyard fence that circles the perimeter of the property. The services provided include lawn maintenance and snow removal. 

An attractive new sign greets people at the entrance to Kananaskis Court. Other items that contribute to the Court’s neat appearance are new shingles on all the roofs and a new fence. All the residents who could helped paint sections of the fence. Many residents have added on to their decks or added a gazebo in the backyard to expand their outdoor living space.

The yards are nicely landscaped and bright with the colour of flowers. The residents also nurture a spirit of neighbourliness, sweeping the dust and pebbles from the courtyard, picking any weeds they walk by, and helping each other in any way they can. This includes taking care of neighbour’s plants and yards when they are away. Phyllis Carruthers, one of the residents, estimates that she spends two hours a day looking after her own yard and one or two others.

Phyllis has loved gardening all her life so when she moved into a newly built unit in Kananaskis Court about 20 years ago, adding flowers to the yard was a must. Phyllis takes great pleasure in her own yard and those of her neighbours. She overwinters her geraniums and, when providing a front yard tour of all the units, pointed out other yards in the Court where the residents do the same. She and her husband, Ron Martens, share three rain barrels with their neighbour Bruce Chisholm, so their plants get the benefit of chemical-free water.

Other choices that reduce their footprints are purchasing flowers from a local greenhouse to support a business because it supports our community. The residents increase the health of their soil by using a mixture of composted cattle manure, other types of compost and black soil. In addition, they serve on subcommittees that look at new ways to put their environmental consciousness into action.

Communities in Bloom is an international volunteer program with the goal of fostering environmental responsibility, civic pride, and beautification within a community with the important underlying principle of community involvement.

Congratulations to Monica Kennedy and Trent Griffin at 33 Michigan Street for being selected by a Devon resident for Love Your Yard!

Below are Monica and Trent’s responses to the LYY! questions:

1. How long have you lived in this yard?

We’ve been here for eight years. When we came to Devon looking for a home, it was the only house for sale—fortunately we liked it.

2. What is your favourite feature in your yard? Is it in the front, back or side of your house?

The backyard is our favourite feature because it is so private. We also enjoy the many birds that visit the bird baths. 

3. What are some of your favourite plants?

We love seeing the trees in the backyard flourish a little more every year (during the good years) as well as the sweet peas that grow over the chain link fence.

Our favourite tree in the front yard is a Mongolian caragana. It is about 7 years old and is just starting to weep. When the leaves first come out, they are silver. Then small yellow bell flowers form. Then red pods form, but it seems that they are going to fall off this year before they turn because of the extreme heat we’ve had.

We have a really nice honeysuckle vine that is flourishing in a pot so we want to find a permanent spot for it in the soil.

4. How much time do you devote to your garden?

We devote as much time as possible to it. When we’re at home, we’re usually outside in the yard doing something like moving plants around. If a plant doesn’t work in one spot, we try another. We try to save plants that are struggling rather than disposing of them.

5. What key changes have you made to the yard to date?  

When we bought the house there was absolutely no landscaping done. There were no trees or shrubs in the backyard except for a big spruce and a weeping laurel (both are estimated to be over 60 years old), and saskatoon bushes. We had a spruce tree that was too close to the house cut down, leaving the trunk standing with the thought of making a totem out of it in the future. We hope to seek carving advice from some local Indigenous carvers we know.

6. What changes would you like to make in the future? 

Our yard is constantly evolving. We have no formalized plan. We make changes as inspiration hits us.

7. Do you use a rain barrel? 

We do not have a rain barrel. When we first arrived, there were many mosquitos in yard. We added a bat box which helped reduce their numbers so the addition of a rain barrel could be one of the changes we make in future.

8. Do you start plants indoors or in a greenhouse?

We plant our sweet peas from seed, but we buy most of our plants from garden centres. 

9. How do you keep your soil healthy?

We use a minimal amount of fertilizer on our lawn. The soil was gumbo when we first moved here. We have spent a lot of money on soil amendments so we could grow vegetables, but the only thing that seems to want to grow in our plots are sweet peas and cucumbers. As a result, we grow tomatoes in pots.

10. Do you have a tip for new gardeners?

If people move here from a different plant hardiness zone such as the west coast, don’t expect to be able to grow the same things. Maintain your plants and watch for diseases. 

Di & Larry Rushfeldt have done a lot of work on their yard during the six years they have lived at 19 Michigan St.  When they moved in, their lot was not landscaped at all and still had the wooden sidewalks that had been put in place by the house construction workers.   

While developing their yard, Di discovered that she loved gardening but had no experience and wanted to develop the flower beds and vegetable garden.  Fortunately, her mother was an active gardener and was able to provide advice on pruning and maintaining plants. Some of their favourite plants are the top grafted lilac and the double flowering plum.  

Their plans for the future include putting in rocks for a dry creek bed to help with drainage and adding a firepit to their backyard.

Their tip for new gardeners is to emphasize the importance of fertilizing - especially in the spring.

Brad Fisher has lived in his home at 58 St. Lawrence for 38 years.  It was originally owned by his grandparents Walter and Grace who moved to Devon from Nordegg in 1954.

Over the last several years, Brad has made a lot of changes to his front and back yards.  He has designed them to be attractive while requiring little maintenance. He has achieved that by selecting trees, hostas, ferns, a few lilies, cotoneaster hedges and opting for long-lasting PVC fencing.  The ferns are his favourite plants largely because it was his great grandmother who provided them in 1954 and they have continued to successfully propagate since then. 

Maintenance only requires a couple of hours per week and that includes mowing, hedge trimming, soil tilling and weed pulling.  Last year Brad didn’t need to water his lawn or plants at all!  Of course, it is a different story this summer with soaring temperatures.

Brad’s tip for new gardeners is to think three or four years ahead when planting by ensuring that you leave enough distance between the plants being mindful that they will fill in spaces as they grow.  

Congratulations to Simon Turner and Holly Belbin @ 99 River Drive for being selected by a Devon resident for Love Your Yard! (LLY!).  

Below are Simon’s and Holly’s responses to some LYY! questions:

1. How long have you lived in this yard?

- 7 years

2. Do you use a rain barrel?

- Yes. It takes up no space at all, is so easy to use, and best of all—the water used on our plants is free! 

3. What changes would you like to make in the future?

- Ironically, we started a huge landscaping project the day we found the sign on our lawn, so our pictures aren't the best...everything will look quite different in a few weeks with a new walkway and new landscape layout. 

The first of the three photos included was taken before their landscaping renovations had started. 

Barb and Dennis Diener moved into the house at 32 Blackstone Crescent in 2004. Since then, they have enhanced their backyard with a deck, planters and garden boxes. They use the deck a lot and enjoy the fact that they can always find either a sunny or shady spot to relax in there.

This year has been a challenge with it being hot and dry, especially for the lawn. They have two rain barrels in the backyard but keep that water for the flowers. The rainwater is better for the plants than treated water from the hose. The rain barrels also provide a bit of cost savings. 

When asked if they have tips for new gardeners, Dennis replies, “Not really. We’re just learning as we go. We like to drive around town to get ideas.” They change the type of annuals they plant every year for variety. They also enjoy experimenting with the new garden boxes to see what works in them.

Lastly, Dennis noted that they have good neighbours who keep their yards up which makes it easier for them to keep a nice yard. 

Jocelyn and Don Wetterberg have lived at 27 Devonian Crescent for 10 years and have gradually upgraded the flowerbeds and lawns to their current beauty. When asked what she thought about the Love Your Yard! Program Jocelyn says: “It’s a great way to recognize the love that gardeners show for their yards and a good way to spend their time during COVID” 

Jocelyn’s husband, Don looks after the lawns because he has experience in lawn care while Jocelyn’s passion is the flower gardens. Her favourites are the lilies in her front yard garden beds. With starting a family it is sometimes hard to give the gardens the care they need so they are trying to make the gardens low maintenance. 

To conserve water and improve plant health they added mulch to several areas and are currently setting up a new rain barrel. Their next improvements will be the upgrading of the borders and the addition of more plants.  

The Love Your Yard! program has inspired Jocelyn and Don to take routine walks through the neighbourhoods to admire other peoples’ beautiful yards. They have already selected the next yard in which to place their sign.     

The home of Doreen Farrants at 1406 Highwood Blvd was selected to be a Love Your Yard! recipient.  Doreen’s beautiful front clearly demonstrates what a lot of loving care and planning can do.  The following was written by Doreen herself:

A little piece of paradise captured my attention in 2009 when I returned to my home province to retire.  I was fortunate to find a home in Devon in a friendly neighbourhood that challenged my landscaping capabilities.  Since my arrival, both the front and back yards have been completely redone.  As all keen gardeners know, there is always something to do.  It’s that TLC from weeding, dead-heading, pruning, fertilizing, watering and the on-going maintenance and upgrading that energizes me each spring.  The fragrance of spring blossoms, early spring showers and freshly mowed lawns add to the pleasure of reaping the rewards from many days of hard work.  This year, I have not been able to ‘lift a finger’ to keep up with the yard work because I am awaiting hip surgery.  Fortunately, family and friends have reached out and done all the hard work to keep my yard looking so beautiful.  They are the recipients of this recognition.  I often comment that in the summer, my preferred room in my home is my deck; really my sanctuary where I bask daily.  One of my favourite flowers is the daylily and I have several bunches that will bloom soon with their vibrant yellow flowers.  It is a special time of the year that brings back memories of my mom.  Although this spring has limited my mobility to see the many stunning yards in our Devon community, I am looking forward to sharing this recognition and placing my placard on another deserving yard at the end of the month.

Bernadette and Glen Serafinchan are early June recipients of Love Your Yard! hosted by Devon Communities in Bloom. Residents of Devon since 1976, they have lived in their home at 11 Blackstone Crescent since 1990.  

Bernadette looks after the flowers while Glen attends to the raised vegetable garden at the back of the house.  Since Glen likes red geraniums, Bernadette makes sure that she plants several of those. Her favourite plant is the lavatera, a pretty pink-flowered shrubby plant, which she grows on the side of the house.  

Bernadette has an easy-going approach to gardening, making her garden plans while visiting a greenhouse combined with some successful choices from the prior year.  She likes to make a few changes every year.  Last year, she built a small garden near the street adding a small table and pair of chairs, some steppingstones and a teacup planter amidst the flowers.

The couple enjoys the use of a rain barrel and the money it saves them on their water bill, especially during dry spells.

Bernadette believes gardening is good for the mind.  Her tip for new gardeners is “Go with the flow!”

Miranda Skjel and Dale Goodwin have lived in their current home since 2012 and have made some significant changes to the front and back yard.  They decided to work with nature as much as possible by taking a permaculture approach and consider the various factors at play in different areas of the property such as sunlight, moisture, grade, soil, and existing vegetation.  They utilize wood chips/mulch wherever possible to retain moisture and control plant growth and ended up eliminating a lot of grass in areas where it struggled to grow, replacing it with sun loving shrubs and trees surrounded by mulch.  

Their front vegetable garden is rain fed via a downspout fed into shallowly buried weeping tile, and they have a 1000L elevated tank for collecting rainwater for the back yard raised beds or whatever they need to run a hose to.   The goal has always been to reduce maintenance by working with nature, and to produce food in a sustainable way.  Miranda and Dale also compost food and garden scraps to amend our soil, and as they approach the 10-year mark on their property, all of these small, purposeful changes are really starting to add up!  

Their advice to anyone new to gardening or planning a yard, is to take the time to pay attention to all of the little factors at play in your space, and work towards creating a self-sustaining ecosystem.  People can spend a lot of time and money fighting nature for a certain aesthetic, but we don’t always have to!