The Fannie Marchman Garden Club has selected the home of Mary Helen Stemler as its September Yard of the Month.
The Stemlers found their home at 1807 Park Place in Mineola’s Heritage Square three years ago. Although the house was perfect for them, there was virtually no landscaping on the property except for two small oak trees, one in the front yard and one in the back.
Mr. Stemler babied and pampered the trees, which grew into larger, stately oaks.
Mary Helen and her husband spent countless days landscaping their yard. They built an impressive curved stone-and-mortar border for the flower beds, which are layered with a variety of plants that provide color and texture.
Iron plants, variegated liriope, sunshine ligustrum, wine and roses weigela, mounded boxwood and tall pink pentas fill the front flower beds. Mary Helen’s favorite garden colors, pink and purple, are frequently represented in the flowers she uses throughout the garden.
A large Japanese maple grows next to the front porch, while two large blue ceramic pots add visual interest to flower beds beneath the windows.
As the Stemler garden evolved, the couple lost the oak tree in the front yard. The vacant spot where the tree once stood, however, has become a focal point in the landscape.
Mary Helen installed a large circular flower bed with a ceramic pot in the center containing a pink lantana tree. Purple salvia, pink lantana and hot pink gaura surround the pot.
Mary Helen enjoys watching the butterflies, bumblebees and hummingbirds attracted to the plants in the circular garden. In the fall, she replaces the flowers with pansies to provide winter color.
As with most yards, mosquitoes can be a nuisance in the Stemler garden. However, the greatest pest has been the katydid killer wasp. The large, solitary wasps dig underground burrows. Although they rarely sting people, Mary Helen received a painful sting from one of the insects. The wasps remain for several months before leaving.
The Fannie Marchman Garden Club selected the Stemlers’ colorful landscape to showcase as its September Yard of the Month.