by Suzanne Driskill

Skye Mansfield loves to work in her yard near the corner of Turnpike and Prince Street, and it shows – the outdoor areas in both the front and back of her home are stunning.  Since moving to the neighborhood in the summer of 2010, Skye has nursed her yard through years of drought, while gradually adding her personal touch to the overall layout of the landscape.  And although she’s currently busy planning an October wedding with fiancé David Templeton, she still finds time to mow her own lawn and provide the TLC necessary for the plants in her yard to thrive.

In the front yard, a young red oak and a towering water oak frame the landscape, while beds filled with pink caladiums, foxtail fern, gold duranta, loropetalum, and variegated flax provide a pleasing palate of year-round color and texture throughout the landscape.  The bed that lines the front walkway is anchored by a large rust colored pot, which was recently added to replace the overgrown sago palm that  once occupied this spot.  White iris provides vertical interest, while sweet potato vine spills over the sides of the pot. In the opposite bed, Texas sage and brugmansia, commonly known as angel’s trumpets, provide bursts of color with their seasonal blooms.

The back yard is equally impressive with a large pergola covering the patio area which is home to an array of potted plants including hibiscus, vinca, sweet potato vine, and various succulents.  The patio also features an herb tower which is filled with basil, cilantro, rosemary, citronella and spearmint.  Knockout roses, gardenia and mandevilla provide splashes of color here and there throughout the yard, while two pink crape myrtles flank the patio, and fruit bearing pomegranate shrubs and a small lemon tree round out the landscape.

Congratulations to Skye and David on their upcoming nuptials.  And thanks for sharing your beautiful yard with us this month and all year round!