Mario Bautista
A hidden gem can be found at 1136 Wick Ave., Ashland, home of September Yard of the Month” winners Tim and Stephanie Knowlton. Hidden treasures abound in the entire yard off Sandusky Avenue in Ashland.
The Knowltons both grew up in Ashland. Their “Welcome Friends” sign indicates they have been at the Wick Avenue oasis since 1972.
Art of Gardening members Cathy Siwek, Patty Stauffer, Sally Ahlers and Claudia Dunn awarded $50 gift certificates from the club and Farm and Home Hardware Sept. 4.
A huge trumpet vine has flourished 30-40 years. Milkweed, which usually only grows 4-5 feet tall, is “really tall” at the hideaway. It is almost up to the roof. A Climbing Sweet Autumn Clematis intertwined with Morning Glory graces the left side of the house.
Stephanie Knowlton is proud of her 10-foot sunflower with 74 sunflowers. A pink geranium on the patiois five years old. Knockout roses thrive. Rhododendrons, Aztec lilies, hibiscus, sedum and salvia where the hummingbirds congregate off the back porch are abundant. Also prominent are a crab apple tree, trailingbanana and a Kwanzan cherry tree next to the back patio.
“Everything blooms except pine trees,” Stephanie Knowlton said while giving club members a tour.
The Echinacea goes to seed so the birds can enjoy. In a five-year period 120 monarchs have been released. Knowlton spoke of having 11 praying mantis cocoons.
Their son, Kevin, and grandson, Jacob, dug a pond with waterlilies and goldfish in the early 2000s. A fence decorated with colorful hubcaps adds to the hideaway appeal along with a lining of raspberries in the back yard.
Stephanie Knowlton admits she feeds the animals that include raccoon, deer, squirrels, a skunk named Petunia and all kinds of birds. At one time they hosted a potbellied pig that ran with deer.
The Knowltons are the parents of daughter Tabby (husband, Travis) of Ashland and son Kevin (wife, Tara) of Milan. Besides Jacob, they have two granddaughters, Hanna and Summer.
The yard winners are both employed. She is a custodian at Christ United Methodist Church on Claremont Avenue. He farms at Tobias Farms.
Art of Gardening Club
Food sampling and recipe sharing took place at the Sept. 4 meeting of the Art of Gardening Club held at Peace Lutheran Church. Cheri Britton offered various plant, fruit and household tips.
Regarding the topic of kidney stones, stay away from kiwi. But kiwi does reduce constipation. She advises not eating the skin unless the kiwi is smaller or yellow. Eating ruby red and shiny strawberries before bed is a sleep aid. In the dishwasher glasses on rungs are more prone to waterspouts. Pat Edwards mentioned “Debbie” bags. The green foodstorage bags can keep a head of lettuce for a month.
Lee Heckman reminisced about a cabin in Northern Ontario, Canada, where family favorites, Ontario Salad and Black Bean, Corn & Couscous Salad, were enjoyed. Skip Cather said she uses summer sausage instead of Canadian bacon and adds a little more cabbage in her Cheese & Vegetable Chowder.
The final step in the member memorial notification is complete. Photos of the markers of deceased club members are ready for families. The memorial stone exhibition is at the club’s Weeping Cherry at the Historical Society. The families of Kathleen Norris, Barbara Mooney, Ella Copeland, Helen Harris, Diana Kowalka and Paul Randles were to be notified.
The club maintains two fair flower boxes in front of the fairgrounds.
Forget-Me-Not Garden Club
The Forget-Me-Not garden club met for a social gathering at the home of Robin Hicks July 22 with 11 members present. The group made hummingbird swings using bent sticks they attached to small dowel rods. They were decorated with artificial flowers.
The club met Aug. 26, at the home of Sue McGinty with 10 members present. McGinty had given each member a topic to give a mini presentation about. The topics were:
- E-bikes: Charging, usage, storage, safety.
- Goat’s milk: Taste, health benefits, usage, production
- Porch: Decorating, entertaining, seasons, storing items
- Selling online: How to, safety, limits,
- Packing for traveling: Roll or fold, items to take or not, flying rules
- Business inspection: What’s involved, times pertaining to
- Pool maintenance: )pen and closing, treating the water
- Starting a home greenhouse: Putting up, cleaning, seasons
- Taking photos: Composing, lighting, using edits on the phone
The next meeting will be at the home of Robin Hicks on Sept. 30.
