Ellen Sullivan
How many times have you seen neighbors at Robson Ranch try to recreate their favorite yard plantings from where they lived 1,000 miles away? Sometimes they succeed after spending a lot of time, money, and heartache, but usually they are disappointed in the long run.
The Robson Ranch Yard of the Month goes to Jim and Vickie Kanewske, 11636 Southerland Drive. If anyone should understand getting along with nature, it is Jim. He is a retired landscape professional who has worked in several areas of the state, with different climates and soil conditions. His advice? Choose from the top 10 plants for your area, plant them sensibly, and don’t try to force plantings that have no place in this region.
He suggests you have a “plan” for your yard. Build from a base of evergreens, which keep the yard lovely all year, and add plants with color as accents. Nandinas are a great example of evergreen plants that also add color. The Kanewskes have added rocks and sweeping curves to soften the straight lines of some shrubbery.
The Robson Ranch Garden Club meets on the third Monday of each month, September through May. The next meeting is on March 16 at 10:30 a.m. in the Lonestar Room at the clubhouse.