Lois Breedlove replaced water-thirsty grass with drought-tolerant bulbs, perennials and shrubs
By Ruth Sloan
A riot of color greets passersby at 784 Park St. in April and May as many bulbs burst into bloom. The garden was developed by Lois Breedlove, owner of the condo at that address.
It is the Ashland Garden Club’s Garden of the Month for May.
The landscape was previously entirely water-thirsty grass until Breedlove arrived eight years ago.
A financial windfall allowed her to redesign the space and hire Gustavo Rodriguez and his crew from Alpine Landscaping to install and maintain plantings of Lois’ choice.
Daffodils, tulips, and grape hyacinths dominate now, but peonies are on their way.
Daphne, euphorbia, barberry, and spirea provide contrast of size and color.
Lois especially loves older varieties of hellebore.
She has a beautiful “cameo” flowering quince near the sidewalk.
The bulbs thrive because their bloom time coincides with leaves off the maple tree in the side yard that, once leafed-out, provides needed shade in the summer.
She spaces allium plants among other bulbs to discourage deer.
Bulbs are a drought-tolerant way to add color to a garden, Breedlove says.
They’re punctuated with other drought-tolerant perennials and shrubs.
As the garden matures the shrubs will eventually play a larger role. “But there will always be the bulbs for color.”
Breedlove says the garden isn’t a garden retreat, but a “garden advance” — something to be enjoyed by others in the complex, and by passersby as well.
She relies on Alpine Landscaping for much of the work, but she tries to walk through the garden daily.
“The best garden advice I ever heard is that a garden profits most from the daily touch of the gardener’s hand,” she says.
The Ashland Garden Club has been naming Gardens of the Month, from April through September, since 2000. Nominations are gratefully received at aogardenclub@gmail.com. Check out the club’s website at ashlandorgardenclub.org for information at meeting times and places.
