Longtime residents Brook Ward and Jason Stark lived on Euclid Street before moving to Highland four years ago.
"We moved in September of 2020. We previously lived on Euclid St. We have two boys who are now grown. When they went away to college, we decided to downsize," said Brook. "We are not too picky about what plants we like. It's important to us to have something that we can easily maintain, and that looks good. Of course, color is important and we look to add colorful seasonal plants to the base we already have."
While they appreciate the front porch and yard, most of their time is spent in the pool area, which they have landscaped with potted plants. In the front, we enjoy the porch, which includes the flower beds on either side.
"We had a huge side yard that was perfect for adding a pool. So now, we have two options when we want to be outside. We can sit on the front porch swing and enjoy our garden, or we can choose to sit out by the pool and enjoy a little more privacy."
Their garden includes some natives, but they worked to match the plants in their yard with ones that match the Houston climate. While they had a good base of plant knowledge, to begin with, they worked with a landscape artist to provide them with help on what plants were year-round and which ones were seasonal to fill out their garden.
"Salvia, Lantana, Yucca, Vinca, Cherry Laurel, Verigated Ginger, Potato Vine, Pencil Cactus, Begonias, Oleanders, Foxtail Ferns, Ligularia, Canna, boxwood bushes, and a few we can't remember the names," Brook continued.
Regarding who has a green thumb, Brook says, "I wouldn't say we are proficient. Jason tends to have a greener thumb and is also creative. He enjoys designing and piecing together several plants into one pot, like the large pot to the right of our porch and pots by the pool."
Brook and Jason's garden does not take many hours to maintain, and they pull weeds and trim back plants as needed.
"The favorite thing would be planting. It's rewarding to see the final product. My least favorite would be adding soil and mulch. It can be backbreaking and quite messy. We enjoy getting outside and working in the yard when we have nice weather. In the summer, not so much!."
In terms of having their yard recognized as WHCA Yard of the Month, Brook remarks,
"It feels great! We pride ourselves in keeping an organized and clean house and that extends to the garden. We walk a lot in the neighborhood and have the opportunity to see other yards. We often comment on how good someone's yard looks. So it's nice to know that our yard has been noticed and adds beauty to our community."
