Natural landscape offers shady oak lawn in the front and large, sunny mini-garden
Spring Lake Garden Club’s May Yard of the Month offers a double feature: a spacious oak-shaded front lawn beside a large sunny fenced garden in Country Estates, north of Old Ranch Road 12. The residence on Palomino Lane near Clydesdale Drive, owned by Bo Kelly and his late wife since the mid 1990s, included an in-ground garden enjoyed by the Kellys and their neighbors. But the advantages of raised beds prompted a complete renovation after Bo’s mother and sister, Kathie Epp, joined the household. After their mother’s passing last year, Epp focused on gardening in counter-height beds, built solely with repurposed lumber and recycled galvanized roofing from a house demolition found by her son Justin.
Starting a mini farm best describes the Kelly garden transformation, which now includes a fish tank and small orchard of fruit trees and blackberries inside the garden’s tall wire boundary fence. The area includes extensive rectangular beds, a few lower raised beds, and a hoop greenhouse covered in white plastic. With two wire wagon wheels leaning against its side, Epp claims the white hoop house looks like a covered wagon. A chicken coop and bee hives are located toward the back of the property, and the fish pond, protected with a wire arbor of cattle panel, provides liquid fertilizer as its water is drained and filtered for adding to timed drip irrigation for both orchard and raised beds.
