Miriam Weissberg’s palette includes roses, verbena, zinnias and golden grasses

By Ruth Sloan

Miriam Weissberg’s creativity and love of color shows throughout her garden at 2025 Green Meadows Way. This is the Ashland Garden Club’s Garden of the Month for September.

When Miriam and her late husband Rob first moved to the property in 2018, the front yard was mostly grass and the back yard was dominated by a blank space for an above-ground pool that the previous had owner removed. Miriam and Rob planned and gardened together until he passed away in 2023. Now Miriam does all the designing and fine-tuning in the garden.

Carlos and Pam Maya do much of the routine maintenance and larger projects. Miriam estimates that among herself, Carlos and Pam, they spend an average of about 18 hours per month on the garden.

Although she has access to Talent Irrigation District water, Miriam doesn’t use it very much because she didn’t want to design a landscape that would be reliant on water that is available such a small fraction of the year. She figures that, with added hardscape and drought-tolerant plants, she uses less water than was the case when they moved in. The zoned irrigation system employs about two-thirds drip lines.

Miriam’s advice to other gardeners is to try different things and see what works best given the many factors in your garden. Also, to encourage maximum blooming, keep your plants well pruned.

Among her favorite plants are verbena and roses. In the recent past, she has planted many annuals, including beloved zinnias, to add color with the knowledge that her choices don’t require much water. This year, she didn’t have time to plant her usual annuals but the garden is still lovely.

The Ashland Garden Club has been selecting Gardens of the Month, from April through September, since 2000. Nominations are gratefully received at [email protected]. Check out the club’s website at ashlandorgardenclub.org for information on meeting times and places.