Nancy Finley
Donna Henry’s home at 12608 Copper Ore Way is the October Yard of the Month. This is her second home at Robson. She and her sister Theresa (Master Gardener) designed and installed her landscaping in 2022. With firsthand knowledge about the “soil” in Robson, they removed rocks, installed seven yards of “gumbo buster,” then rototilled to 18 inches. Donna and Theresa installed all the plants, then kept track of them in the Garden Book, a photo album with each plant tag showing the plant and care instructions. I’m stealing this idea. Many of her plants are from Calloway’s. She used Conserve Irrigation to revamp the builder-installed grass irrigation system. Water management and conservation are important to Donna.
You will notice the gorgeous flowering plumeria in her entryway. It thrives in the morning sun and afternoon shade. She moves it to the garage before the first frost. They planned for something to bloom year-round. Look closely for numerous solar lights, setting the mood like fireflies, and colorful yard art sprinkled among the plants. Just in the backyard I counted at least four Pillar Rose of Sharon of different colors. She likes the yaupon hollies as pollinators and berries that feed the birds. She has a small solar bird feeder equipped with a camera to see “who is coming to dinner.”
Donna is from Upland, Calif., with stays in Napierville, Ill., Lantana, and then Robson. She is an active pickleball player. Another hobby is fishing salmon in Kenai, Alaska, and trout in Big Thompson River in Colorado. She loves to be on the water.
Congratulations, Donna! Your yard is an excellent example of planning and execution. Do stop by to visit.