August 2022: 5342 Willis Ave

August 2022’s Yard of the Month winners are Karen and Robert Quick at 5342 Willis Ave. Karen and Robert have always enjoyed nurturing an enviable yard and actually won Yard of the Month the 1st time in 2015. Karen herself planted a staggering 450 caladium bulbs this spring to create the eye-catching look that surrounds their house on 3 sides. Karen describes the abundance of color as “Caladium Crazy” and we love the sanctuary they’ve created in both front and back.

Karen, Robert and their dog Hilo moved to Dallas and into the home they designed and built 11 years ago. Over the years, they have added numerous beautiful touches to their space, including a meditation garden, a water feature, a natural fence line of Liberty Hollys and some of the tallest Vitex trees we’ve ever seen. The Hawaiian Islands are the Quick’s favorite vacation destination and serve as inspiration for the lush oasis their lot has become. Karen is even growing a Hawaiian plumeria tree to properly complete the tropical look.

Vickery Place yards this beautiful are usually the result of hard work, time, and attention given by the folks who live in the home themselves, and 5342 Willis is no exception. Some of the interesting things we learned from Karen and Robert include:

• Water strategically. Combine sprinklers, soaker hoses and hand-watering depending on the type, size, and placement of your plantings. Particularly in Texas summers, pay attention to the temperature of the water coming out of your hose. Use only cool water inside and on the outsides of pots and hanging baskets. Roots can burn if residual moisture in the soil heats up too much during the daytime.

• Pay attention to the amount of sunlight your yard receives and make the most of it. Raising the canopy of your trees (or neighboring trees) can greatly increase the amount of sunlight that reaches your grass. Should you prefer the cooler temperature of a shady lawn, consider planting zoysia instead of St. Augustine.

• Create a home oasis to be enjoyed by all. Karen has incorporated sculptures of wildlife around the backyard to help her grandson learn names of animals. Their backyard is also a favorite place to visit for a pair of red birds they’ve named “Lucy” and “Ricky”, lots of butterflies, bees, and curious geckos that sometimes follow Karen around her yard.

Congratulations to Karen, Robert, and Hilo of 5342 Willis Ave. for winning Vickery Place Neighborhood Association’s Yard of the Month!

We also want to send a big thank you to Northaven Gardens for their sponsorship and for the $50 gift card they generously award our winners!