Curb Appeal: Wonder on Whittier

Ms. Monica’s marigold-filled lawn. Image courtesy of Rachel Pisano

If you have ever exited off the Harper Ave ramp off 94 and headed South on Whittier, you may have noticed a bright burst of color off to your right. This may have been Monica’s home featuring yellow and orange marigolds leaping out of the flower beds. Monica and her family have lived in this home for over 30 years in the Morningside neighborhood and are proud to call it home. We are excited to feature her home in this month’s edition of “Curb Appeal”.

There are many things Monica loves about the neighborhood but one of the things that she finds fascinating are the variety of brick homes in the area. She says there are not two alike and that type of beauty is hard to find these days. She also loves the dedication in the way many people keep their homes. She is committed to keeping her yard up not only because she lives on a higher traffic street and many people drive by, but because she knows it makes the neighborhood more beautiful – a place where people want to be.

Her favorite part about her garden is typically her geraniums, but this year she has grown a fondness for her marigolds. Their bold colors have added an additional brightness to her yard that complement the deep color of the geraniums. With the marigolds also comes a new venture for Monica to work on. This year she is planning to harvest all the seeds from the current marigolds in her yard so she can plant more next year without having to buy more. It’s the first time she has attempted this but is excited to give it a try and suggests it for people trying to start their gardens and are looking for low-cost methods of brightening their space.

With her vast gardening experience comes a lot of good advice. Monica wants to encourage those who want to work on their yards but may not know where to start. Her best advice is this: “Don’t give up!”. She knows best that yards can be finicky and that year to year things can change – one plant may flourish one season but not flower as much the next. Different weather conditions or the amount of shade in your yard can change overtime. Patience is your best friend. Monica recommends starting with perennials since they come back each year and require less upkeep. From there, observe how things grow and adapt as needed. It just takes time and patience. Thank you, Monica, for your sage wisdom and brightening Morningside one marigold at a time!