Westcreek resident and WNA board member Barbara Huffman is shown above helping to improve the nature trail located at the end of Westcreek Drive. Barb and several other volunteers from the Westcreek Neighborhood Association and Oak Hill Trails Association (OHTA) got together on January 21 to spread bark mulch that had been donated by Davey Trees. Thanks to Barb, Jennifer Voss and her son Quinn, Trudy and David Hasan, John Mendenhall, and OHTA members Tom Thayer and Jim Hinshaw. The huge pile of mulch has now been reduced to just a big pile.

The trail area has been an ongoing project by the Westcreek Neighborhood Association and OHTA. The area is a combination of City of Austin right-of-way, AISD land and private land. The private land consists of the unimproved area behind the duplexes, and no improvements have been made to this area since it is privately owned. Many Westcreek residents and cyclists enjoy this area, since no motorized vehicles are allowed.

More work days will be scheduled in February and March, so stayed tuned for your chance to help out the neighborhood!

Congratulations to Frank and Debra Lewis of 4513 Langtry Lane for receiving the WNA Yard of the Month award for December! The beautiful holiday lighting on their house earned them a $50 gift certificate from Emerald Garden and a $25 gift certificate from Mandola’s.

Frank and Debra love decorating for Christmas, and at their front door they proudly hang an antique ornament that Frank’s family hung at his family home. There is a friendly competition among the neighbors on Langtry to out-decorate each other each year. Frank and Debra were thrilled to be this year’s December Yard of the Month winners.

Congratulations to Robin Mayfield for winning Yard of The Month in September!

Robin Mayfield’s beautiful yard and certified wildlife habitat has always caught my eye while making the rounds in Westcreek. I love her amazing variety of colors and textures! She was so much fun to talk to about her yard. She had GREAT information to share and also writes a gardening blog!! The website for her blog is getgrounded.wordpress.com and she is part of the Austin Garden Bloggers.

All of her plants and trees are native or adapted native. She uses the city’s Grow Green Guide and tends to frequent nurserys like Barton Springs Nursery, The Natural Gardner and The Great Outdoors. Everything is done organically. She cares for her plants by using compost and mulch twice a year.

In her yard she has a beautiful assortment of Salvia Greggi, Purple Fall Aster, Lantana, Pride of Barbados, Blackfoot Daisy and her favorite: Gomphrena (the little red ones).

Her grass looks great for the horrific summer we had, too! She said that on the left, between her and her neighbor, the grass had a St. Augustine fungus. They worked together and got rid of it with cornmeal and compost from Natural Gardner.

These are Persimmon Trees.

One of her favorites is this Varigated Flax Dianella. It’s great for shade, dies in the winter, but then grows back.

Her favorite, Gomphrena. She gave me a bud to dry out and plant the seeds in my yard! She said that her and her neighbors “plant swap” all the time and highly recommends it.

Ruby Crystal and Mexican Feathergrass.

Varigated American Agave. Eventually this will grow and curl over the tub. The other plant blooms yellow flowers.

All plants are very heat and drought resistant – and look gorgeous, too!

Robin gave us a few tips to share as well. She said that the MOST important thing is MULCH MULCH MULCH! She has 8 inches of mulch in her flower beds. She said not to plant directly in the soil or the plant won’t make it. Lay down the foundation with mulch first. (I’ve learned that the hard way!). Another tip: on her corner bed, she laid down cardboard and then 8 inches of compost. She mulches twice a year.

Hear more great tips from Robin by reading her blog! Here’s the website again: getgrounded.wordpress.com.

Happy gardening!!

If you would like you garage sale listed on the website and twitter, please send an message to webmaster@westcreekna.org with your sale address and give an example of some of the items you will be selling (e.g. toys, books, coffee table, etc.).

Meet our August 2011 Westcreek Yard of the Month Winners… Karen and John Sperry on 6505 Fair Valley Trail. The Sperrys, who are both in the education field, have lived here since the early 80s when Westcreek was first developed. They consider Westcreek as one of the best places you could live in Austin and they have done so much to maintain and beautifully update their home over the years. The gorgeous yard you see pictured is a result of carefully planned and well managed research and work that took 2½ years to finish. The Sperrys completed the hardscaping prior to finishing out the landscaping and irrigation portions. This welcoming yard is full of many drought tolerant native and adapted plants such as Imperial Blue Plumbago, Purslane, Silver Castle Artemesia, Double Knock Out Roses, red/orange Lantana, Liriope, Sego Palms, Agave, Blue Daze, Spring Bouquet Viburnum, Pride of Barbados, Pink Skullcap, Crape Myrtles, Coral Bean, native grasses, and delightful surprises such as a Meyer Lemon tree, a Big Tooth Maple, and potato vines.
As you approach the Sperry’s front walkway, you’ll be drawn to their bright front beds and led towards their front door as you follow a natural, winding path of rich stained concrete sidewalks. The lush green grass all around you is Zorro Zoysia – a drought tolerant grass that shows off an emerald green hue (be sure to plant it where it gets a little shade). But wait…you must see the rock and granite path that leads to the back yard. A dry creek garden area leads to a path with a few subtle curves and takes you back through an intriguing iron gate. Once you walk through, you realize the true beauty of Westcreeks’ greenbelt

The Sperry’s back yard is a mix of the soft Zoysia grass and beds of unique and native plants, including a cozy seating area further down the lawn.

The Sperrys were presented with a $50 Emerald Gardens gift certificate and a $25 Mandola Italian Market certificate to recognize their efforts in keeping Westcreek looking great. Stay tuned for next month’s winner.

Jimmy and Sylvia have owned thir home since 1989 and have done extensive remodeling of the house in addition to their new landscaping. Last summer killed off the mix of burmuda and St. Augustine, so this spring Jimmy put in Zoysia turf named “Zorro” as it is drought tolerant and this particular variety grows well in the sun and shade. Wanting to reduce the amount of grass he had to mow, Jimmy covered the side yard with crushed pink granite. A large bed at the corner is filled with river rock and plants such as Agave, Sage, Crepe Myrtle, and Rosemary that require less water. Sago Palms accent the entry and other beds in the yard.

Neighbors: We had several National Night Out parties last year and they were really successful. Let’s do it again this year and I invite even more people to host one. It does not take a lot of effort. You can make it as simple as inviting a few people over and having lemonade or grilling with a big group. Even better, team up with a neighbor and co-host one. Easier and the more the merrier.If you are planning a “party”, would you email me your name and address?

We can circulate the location & times of the parties to get the neighbors out and meet one another. If you can’t host a party, please drop by one being held & say hello. Westcreek needs you!

Thanks,
Jennifer Voss
Sun Vista Drive

p.s. The more people know their neighbors, the lower the crime statistics in their area…Free crime prevention!

Contact Jennifer by email for more information: jen4reel@hotmail.com.

For more information contact Chris Schexnayder at chrisschexnayder@sbcglobal.net.

Ernest Vasquez, Waterloo Pest Control, (512) 450-3728.

Use them for all my clients:  wood-destroying insects, rats, etc.  Haven’t failed me yet.