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EUREKA — The gardens viewed this month by the Eureka Sequoia Garden Club have been in existence for more than 30 years, so the mature plants provide a beautiful landscape design to complement the stately homes. The “Garden Jewels” pictures shown here were taken in August and September when the annuals were at their peak. Viewers are encouraged to return next summer to see these gardens with additional bright colors.
Garden Jewel certificates will be presented at the club meeting on Nov. 15 at the First Covenant Church, 2526 J St. in Eureka. The public is invited to attend the 11 a.m. program by Larissa Haney of Pastori Landscaping, who will give a talk about “Maintaining Your Landscape,” followed by the awards ceremony at noon.
Here are the descriptions of this month’s “jewels,” written by Mary Lou Goodwin except where noted:
2210 S St. — A grove of majestic redwood trees is the setting for the home of Edward and Joan Nilsen. This woodland garden also contains ferns and rhododendrons. The band of 100 pink shrub polyanthus rose bushes named Pinkey were given to them as a housewarming gift 57 years ago. They outline the curved driveway and provide wonderful color from spring to early fall. White alyssum is used as a ground cover with the roses. Other accents include calla lilies and a hedge of escalonia.
2230 S St. — This modern home is owned by Frances Lambert. The landscape design consists of New Zealand flax with dramatic spears of color. Summer rhododendrons, roses, heather, viburnums and rosemary provide pink and lavender accents. The Japanese maple, birch and pine trees complement the tall house and ornamental grasses soften the landscape.
2300 S St. (description written by Paula Trinoskey) — Verne and Paula Trinoskey have a passion for Asia, having traveled there numerous times. Their garden provides a reminder of the trips and gardens they have enjoyed. Since moving to Eureka in 2001, they were introduced to bamboo by Rich Simpson of Bamboo and Maples. They now have 14 varieties with ‘Candy Cane Bamboo’ (damarapa himalaycalamus falconeri) forming a natural enclosure with its very tight clumps of upright canes. Also in their front garden, a large clump of ‘Chocolate Bamboo’ (borinda fungosa) forms a leafy fountain with chocolate canes that acts as a natural screen for off-street parking.
The newest addition is a clump of ‘Weaver’s Bamboo’ (bambusa textilis) that will form an effective screen of the electrical pole across the street. A sea of gravel, fed by a dry, rocky stream and a waterfall formed of flat-smooth pebbles, contains a granite whale that makes a comfortable seat. It is a great place to view the driftwood pieces that mimic the limestone formations found in China. The dwarf and miniature conifers provide winter interest before the burst of color of tulips, narcissus and rhododendrons in the spring. Summer brings a focus on conifers and Japanese maples that provide the grand finale in the fall.
2439 S St. — Outdoor lighting accents the flowering cherry trees in Cindy Olsen’s landscape. Matching palms and bamboo provide design, while the Australian tree fern is big and bold. This year she planted seasonal color of white, pink and purple petunias, so visitors will need to come back next year to see what surprise she has for the community.
3236 S St. — At Gregory and Lalida Jones’ two-story home, landscape plants are grown in containers so that they can be changed with the seasons. Their color is a bright contrast to the lush green lawn. The arbor over the walkway covered with roses and wisteria brings a focus to the front door. Mature trees planted in the 1920s are enjoyed by the family.
1905 Huntoon St. — A hillside garden shows off the home of Gary Knudsen and Ann Clark. Pink magnolias, Australian tea tree, Australian tree fern and oak-leaf hydrangeas stand out over the ornamental grasses and rhododendrons. The driveway is lined with shrub, hybrid tea and grandiflora roses in many colors. The brick retaining walls add to the overall design.
1929 Huntoon St. — Peggy Van Doorn has created an unusual landscape design at her home. The lighted driveway, up an incline, uses concrete, slate, stone and a grass strip to bring the visitor to the front courtyard shaded by black bamboo. The hillside is full of rhododendrons, heathers, escallonia, viburnums, ginger, shrub roses, ceanothus, abelia, New Zealand flax, pieris japonica and hydrangeas. In the fall, the maple trees are majestic in shades of orange and yellow. This could be called a miniature botanical garden.
1808 Buhne St. — This home and garden have been cared for by La Roy and Alpha Hake for more than 40 years with the help of EarthScape Landscaping. Red iron handrails in an Oriental motif on the terraced front walkway set the stage. The junipers have been sheared to represent roses and balls. Flowering cherry trees announce spring, while the Australian tree fern guards the front door. Japanese maples and pines add height, while heathers add a splash of pink color. Nandina (heavenly bamboo) is always present and adds red to the color scheme when it has new growth.
1933 Buhne St. — This impressive, Spanish-style house is the hillside home of Robert Crivello Jr. The landscape was coordinated with the neighbor so many of the same plants appear at both locations. Yucca trees with long, pointed leaves make a statement. A border of purple-leaved shrubs combined with pieris japonica is planted along the curving retaining walls.
Lemons love the protected area with the agapanthus, and clematis vines climb up the trellis. Ornamental grass completes the scene.
2153 Buhne St. — Rob Seniff has lived in this home since 2004. Tall cypress trees frame the garden, which contains a stream, surrounded by alders, redwoods and woodland native plants. The driveway contains pieris japonica, euonymus, abelia, breath of heaven and junipers, which have been shaped into geometric forms. Outdoor lighting makes the garden a dramatic scene. The three-tiered water fountain in the lower garden is an unexpected treasure. The use of ornamental grass is the latest feature added to the garden.
2432 Manzanita St. — Singing Trees Nursery designed this garden for June Davis several years ago. She loves the tall cypress and the junipers shaped into cloud forms. The maroon Japanese maple changes with the seasons and heathers provide a riot of color. Rhododendrons represent Humboldt County and ornamental grasses soft the scene.
3230 Harrison St. (description written by Janna Snell) — Immanuel Lutheran Church is set in a redwood grove and a compact escallonia hedge lines the property to help anchor the church. A palm grove is framed by hedges and a colorful rhythmic planting of pelargoniums and roses.
Breaks in the hedges act as doorways that invite the visitor into the landscape. Rhododendron, fuchsia, bergenia and hebe line the driveway, and a small patio with a picnic table adds beauty and functionality to the property. A smaller flower bed is planted in an informal style to complete the setting.
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