Thu Sep 02 2010
by Laura Freeman
Report
Amateurs can learn a lot from the pros, so backyard gardeners won't want to miss the Norton Road garden of Ken and Joyce Kuryla on this year's Hudson Garden Club Home and Garden Tour June 17 to 19.
Ken, a landscape horticulturist, and Joyce, a business major, began their business -- KGK Gardening and Design Corp. -- straight out of college at Ohio State University.
"I consider gardening therapeutic," Ken said. "I'd rather do this than golf."
Ken's parents bought the pasture land and home in 1958 and were "hobby" farmers.
"Before my dad died, I thanked him for making me a hard worker," Ken said. "I've always enjoyed being outside."
Ken and his wife built their home up the long driveway in 1993. His parent's old home can be seen near the street.
They based the location of the house on a centuries-old pin oak, which survived a lightning strike in the 1990s and is located to the east of the house.
A walkway leads to the front of the house where interesting specimens of weeping red bud, weeping Norway spruce and crimson sentry maple add to the color and texture of the landscape.
"Trees can be upright, weeping or dwarf varieties of the same tree," Ken said. "I try to have something fun, popping up for every season."
In front of the main entrance to the home, Tanyosho pine shrubs create a barrier for the sitting area where Ken and Joyce enjoy the sunshine.
"It's a great spot to sit in the morning," Ken said. "It's very private."
The front overlooks the former pasture and Ken's childhood home.
The large tree near the garage is a weeping purple-leaf European beech. The vine on the arbor on the patio is a climbing hydrangea.
The border bed near the back of the home contains swamp white oak and a black locust, along with many perennials. The shade garden contains a variety of hostas and garden artwork from Joyce's downtown business, About Gardens.
The cedar garden room provides a place to relax. The floor is Pennsylvania blue stone and the fireplace is stacked fieldstone.
Outside there is a weeping white pine, bamboo, a lilac tree, hydrangea and shade loving perennials.
Behind the house is the sun patio, walkways, water features and an abundance of trees, shrubs and flowers to enjoy any season of the year.
"I choose plants for the garden for interesting habits or characteristics," Ken said. "I like something for every season."
A circular pathway leads from a grill house down to a pond and fire pit and back up to the garden room.
Near the fire pit is a tricolor beech which bears green, pink and red leaves. A dawn redwood grows in the pond, and near the pond is a deciduous conifer that looks like an evergreen but loses its leaves in the fall.
Other trees include a regular-sized Japanese maple, a globe or low-round blue spruce and weeping white pine near a statue in the middle of the walkway.
The property contains a vegetable garden with several raised beds. The Kurylas grow numerous herbs and vegetables, as well as three kinds of berries. The garden gate is from Joyce's shop.
Ken doesn't believe in using chemicals and prefers raised vegetable and herb beds, which are easier to weed.
"We try to be as green as possible," Ken said. "We recycle and reuse materials."
The Kurylas recycled their children's playhouse into a potting shed with a working sink.
Comments
By Posting to this site, you agree to our Terms of Service Be polite.
Inappropriate posts may be removed.
Hudsonhubtimes.com doesn't necessarily condone the comments here, nor does it review every post.
Login above or Register to comment.
0 Total Comments Home | Back
Copyright Record Publishing Co, LLC. 1995-2010. All Rights Reserved.
Content may not be republished without the expressed written consent of the publisher.
Content may not be republished without the expressed written consent of the publisher.
Dix Communications