September Yard of the Month

Each year, September closes out summer and its many sun-loving activities. As autumn arrives, ushering summer into the past and dropping the temperatures, plants and gardens fade away. The bright, exuberant colors and luxurious, crisp scents of Knock Out roses, flowering shrubs, sweet butterfly gardens and honeysuckle, and the bounty of fresh vegetables and fruits grown in sun and soil retire until next season, giving birth to new rustic colors and aromas of fall: the orange glow of warm fires and the smell of wood burning in the hearth, soft yellows and oranges of crisply falling leaves, and pumpkin spice in everything. So, too, as nature softly puts to rest the growing season, the Bristow Garden Club wraps up its “Yard of the Month” program.

The Bristow Garden Club chose the yard and garden of Donna and Charlie Hemingway at 7th and Oak to honor as their “Yard of the Month” for September. The yard is meticulously groomed, and the garden along the east side overflows with brilliant green sweet potato vines, intensely crimson-kissed fuchsia and magenta cockscomb flowers, and the deep purple leaves of vines meandering throughout the bed. Occasional yellow blooms peek with a bashful innocence from within the river of vines. Somewhat hidden on the west side, hundreds of seed-grown mums flourish in pots, awaiting their transplantation to a permanent garden bed.

Due to the orderliness and lush gardens of their yards, one might understandably, yet mistakenly, assume that Donna and Charlie have been avid gardeners for years. Many locals know Donna as she is a lifelong resident of the community. Charlie moved to the area around fifteen years ago. For the first four years of their marriage, they lived in the country. Last year, Donna sold her land in the country to move into town. The home they bought possessed a yard without any plants or gardens. Seeking to improve the yard and perhaps acquire a new hobby, Donna and Charlie immediately began work building small gardens and growing and planting flowers and vines.

Additionally, Donna maintains a regular presence on Facebook, selling her seedlings as well as vegetable and flowering plants. She and Charlie also set up each Saturday at the Bristow Artisans’ and Gardeners’ Market. At the market, they sell the very plants Donna nurtures from seeds and cuttings. In fact, Donna currently sells her growing mums. Her mums boast healthy, green foliage, and a few are beginning to bloom.

Although challenging to accept, she started all of her plants in her small, backyard greenhouse, moving them to Charlie’s larger workshop as they grew. Seeing the size and quantity of her plants makes it difficult to understand how she and Charlie ever found the space, but Donna explained it succinctly: “Planting seeds and watching them grow is therapy. It’s relaxing and rewarding. I encourage everyone to try it. No space is too small. Anyone can do it.” As proof, she and Charlie found a way. They lead by example.

If interested in viewing or purchasing some of Donna’s plants, check out her Facebook page, listed as “Donna Fredine Hemingway”. Interested gardeners may also find the Hemingways at the Saturday market; although, the market closes this month as well.