This back garden and lawn belong to a used brick home built in 1956. It was the third home completed in a brand new housing addition in northwest Oklahoma City. The brick wall topped with wrought iron, the brick mowstrip and the brick patio visible in a later photo were in place by 1958. Once they were completed an extensive and clearly expensive landscape was planted. When it was finished the garden contained a 'Moraine' Honeylocust, a Crabapple, three eating Apples, Crape Myrtles, an East Palatkan Holly, some Nandina, Barberries, Dwarf Chinese Holly, Pyracantha, Photinia… and even more.
By February, 2002 the garden was in a sad state, and in desperate need of care. The brick wall and the brick mowstrip had several loose or missing brick that were replaced and both had their mortar repaired. The first photo shows a gangly and poorly trained American Smoketree [Cotinus obovata], the second shows English Ivy growing up and over the stump left when the Honeylocust died of vascular wilt and both photos show a white blooming Wisteria growing along the brick wall.
A neighbor had just cut down a multi-trunked River Birch in his backyard [for unknown reasons]… and the trunks became the posts for a wire fence around this portion of the bed. The fence was built 12 inches inside the mowstrip to allow already established clumps of Daffodils to develop. The next two photos show what was completed by March 13
The admittedly narrow walkway was put in to allow access to the back portions of the bed. It came in handy because a lot of "spring greens" seed was sown and onions were planted. By April 13 the Daffodils were blooming and the first lettuce leaves were being harvested for salads.
'White Icicle' Radishes
'Little Gem' Romaine
'Mervailles des Quatre Saissons'
At about this time a large section of the lawn was killed to allow the creation of another bed for vegetables. As soon as the grass was satisfactorily eliminated a brick mowstrip was installed.
By early summer the "lawn bed" was busy growing tomatoes, squash, sunflowers, borage, basil, oregano and a few other herbs.
The best place to see the sunset and watch the garden was from the old chair under the Chinese Pistache. Experienced chair users would bring a heavily padded seat cushion with them.
Within five years the Honeylocust stump had rotted to the extent it was easily removed. At that point it was decided to convert the area to Roses. Graham Thomas, Pat Austin, Hot Cocoa, Tuscan Sun and Lady of Shalott were planted. They were followed by pots of 'Faassen's' Catmint. Within another two years the "rose bed" was lush and colorful.
