“The lawn with all the shade — morning and afternoon — was the reason that I wanted to buy the house,” Kerry said. As a painter creates a variety of works of art over time, Kerry Lynn’s yard has been in continuous transition over the past 18 years.
A lush ivy bed adds to the curb appeal of the Lynn’s home. “Because of the abundant shade, grass was sparse in front. Soon after we moved, we started the ivy bed from clippings and trimmings from a friend’s lawn.”
The front lawn has no barriers that prevent moving from the front lawn to the back, creating a welcoming feeling from the curb. Daylilies and monkey grass form a walkway to the back lawn. Mixtures of texture and shades enhance the borders from grass to ivy to variegated ground cover. In the back, a border of cypress trees has been planted to serve as a visual and sound shield from neighboring property cleared for the future Murray State University project.
Winter storm 2009 brought about many changes to his lawn. Kerry reflected on the positive effects of the storm. “We lost seven trees. People don’t initially like change, but I found that the storm brought good changes,” Kerry said. The back lawn took on a sunny appearance and with more sun, the landscape had to change.
“The sunny areas opened up swapping avenues for me. When I admire these flowers, I recall the friends who gave them to me. With a friend I swapped hostas that require shade for hydrangeas that like sun. I have close to 200 day lilies, 50 of them came from Jack Johnson, our dance instructor. I have always wanted peonies, hydrangeas, marigolds. Now I can have them. After the winter storm my wisteria bloomed for the first time.”
Kerry pointed to a rose bed bursting with clusters of old-fashioned, pink roses. “This rose bush came from Melinda’s mother’s yard. After her death, we transplanted it to here before we sold her home. It holds a special memory for us.”
Kerry jokes about his greatest challenge in his lawn: DEER! “Why do they want my hostas?” he asked. “When push comes to shove, they go from the hostas to my oak leaf hydrangeas. I have tried all of the remedies. I have even clapped my hands and stomped my feet at them. They just look at me. I don’t have the heart to shoot them. They even come up on my deck.”
Each season a palette of multi-blooming flowers creates a canvas unique to the season. Early spring jonquils, tulips and daffodils proclaim the end of winter. Then azaleas, dogwoods, and wisteria bloom. Vibrant daylilies, geraniums, and roses decorate the lawn in summer followed by chrysanthemums in the fall. “I plant pansies in the middle of September that live through the winter; but in the July heat, they are done,” Kerry said. When asked about expense, he laughed and said, “My favorite gift card is to Sanders Nursery.”
In spite of the countless hours spent pulling weeds, planting, mowing, fertilizing, etc. Kerry finds time every week for Latin dance lessons; and weather permitting, spends time kayaking and sailing his sailboat on Kentucky Lake. He is client adviser at Bluegrass BMW.
When asked what is his worst chore in maintaining such an ornate lawn, Kerry answered, “There are not any chores in gardening. If there were, I wouldn’t do it. I have always loved being outside. How can listening to birds, not hearing the ringing of a phone, feeling the fresh air, and digging in the dirt be a chore?”
