Yard of the month for June goes to Sharon and Joe Clontz at 4701 Summerset. Joe claimed the Mandola’s gift certificate and Sharon will make good use of the Emerald Garden gift certificate. They have lived in their home for 30+ years. Their 5-year-old grandson, Travis, lives with them. Anyone who walked his or her dog past the house knows Travis. He is the very energetic 5 year old that chases you down the street to ask if he can pet your dog. Joe and Sharon are both retired and are remodeling the interior of their home and Travis helps Sharon with the gardening in the yard. When Sharon learned they won the YOM award, she prepared the following article for the WNA newsletter and website:
“Many people have asked me about my roses. I have 45 antique rose bushes in the yard. My advice is simple:
1. Plant only antique roses. These buses survive around Texas in cemeteries and abandoned homes.
2. Amend the soil before you plant. I use The Natural Gardener’s Rose Dirt. It is actually not so much amending as it is putting soil in your yard, since this area is 1-inch dirt and 3 feet of limestone rock.
3. Water at night and water deeply.
4. Use mulch but keep it off the trunk of the roses.
5. Fertilize with liquid seaweed. This keeps the plant healthy and helps them fend off insects, disease, and stress from the heat. (Use only after 7pm as it will burn the leaves in the hot sun.)
6. Your best friend is a breaker bar! I don’t care if I am only planting a sprig of mint, when I try to dig a hole; the shovel gives off that now familiar “chink” which means “rock below”! My beds are all lined with rocks that have been extracted from my yard! I have now mastered the art of boulder removal. When you hit the “chink”, dig around and find the edges of that sucker. Remove as much dirt as you can from around the rock and use your breaker bar for leverage. Get it under the rock and put all your weight on the bar. If it won’t budge, get some additional manpower and put all your weight on the bar and the rock will roll out. If it is a large rock, toss the sprig of mint and plant a rose bush! How do you think I ended up with 45 rose bushes?
My “bibles” as far as gardening are Central Texas Gardner by Cheryl Hazeltine who is a local Austinite. Texas Organic Gardening by Howard Garrett. The Guide to Antique Roses by Mike Shoup and The Antique Rose Emporium in Brenham, Texas.”
Sharon is interested in starting a Westcreek garden club and welcomes interested neighbors to call her at (512) 892-1102.
