Welcome to Bob and Trudy Lee’s yard.
Or should that be botanical garden, where the tropical and exotic mix with the more traditional in Barrhead?
To visit their garden at the end of August is akin to watching the sun slowly set on a glorious day.
The fading light fills you with wonder, yet inspires still fairer thoughts of what had gone on before; come here in July and visitors will enjoy a lovingly nurtured garden in full bloom. There are botanical treasures all around.
Here is a sample: dahlias, gladiolas, chrysanthemums, hydrangeas, lilies, petunias both ruffled and regular, English ivy, morning glory, roses, marigolds and geraniums.
There is also mandevilla, a tropical flowering vine named after Henry Mandeville (1883-1861), a British diplomat and gardener. Mandevilla species are native to the Southwestern United States, Mexico, Central America and South America. Many originate from forests in Brazil.
Lee did not have to travel so far to acquire his mandevilla; he found it on sale in a department store in the city.
Another striking, exotic flower in his yard is the hibiscus, with its tooth edge, salmon pink leaves. The hibiscus is regarded as native to Hawaii.
Less eye-catching, perhaps, but equally intriguing and impressive is the hosta plant, which flaunts green, heavily veined, heart-shaped leaves. The plant is said to have been named in honour of the only lady emperor of China, Wu.
At the back of the Lees’ 208’ by 45’ yard are vegetable patches, where cucumbers, carrots, beets, parsnip, beans, asparagus, lettuce, spinach, kale, chives and tomatoes grow in abundance during the summer. There are also herbs, like sweet basil, which flavour the air with a pungent scent.
Looking around it is hard to imagine that the Lees’ property was once a condemned rental house surrounded by wild trees.
“It was a mess,” says Bob.
It also presented an irresistible challenge to someone born with a green thumb.
Over the next five years, he and Trudy transformed the garden into something that passers-by in 52nd Avenue often admire. For as long as he can remember, Bob has loved gardening. Family folklore suggests he used to replant weeds as quickly as his mother uprooted them. Whether true or apocryphal, it points to a deeply embedded passion.
“I just enjoy it so much,” says Bob. “My wife, Trudy, and I love to look at seed catalogues, picking out new plants.”
“Gardening has a very calming effect on most people,” he adds.
