Yard of the Month

Mont Del Estates is a Beautiful Place to Live!

All of the plants, flowers and tree(s) in the photos were identified using the “Picture This” phone app.
Click images to enlarge.
Scroll down to see previous months.

Thank you Matthew Rios for doing Yard of the Month

December 2023

December is a month of sharing, so the yard of the month honor will be shared by many of our neighbors who made effort to light up Mont Del Estates in various creative ways. There was not room enough for every interesting yard, so I want to give a big thanks to everyone who placed as much as a single wreath. Yard of the month will take a break until spring so Merry Christmas to all and Happy New Year !

November 2023

November can be a sleepy month for the yards of Mont Del Estates as this time of year is characterized by a variety of yard stressors that reduce the number of strong candidates. Some yards are still recovering from the previous summer drought. Some yards have reinvigorated with the intermittent autumn-like days and temperatures over the last couple of weeks. Other yards seem to be heralding the transition to winter that does not seem to follow anyone’s almanac.

George and Judith Smith at 2 Thornhill Road are awarded yard of the month this November for their yard which seems determined to look great in spite of everything. The Smith’s yard is an example of how sometimes less is more. Their yard is not polychromatic, and does not attempt to cohabitate a large variety of plants, but does effectively showcase what I would describe as a living sculpture using the plants they do have. Enjoy the photos.

Passersby are greeted by the vibrant and serpentine patch of sweet potato vine, winding the entire length of the driveway façade, with a stunning accent of burgundy canna lilies.

A yard this lush and verdant belies the transition to winter that is (hopefully) soon to come.

A perfect boxwood parasol accents the view.

A canopy of perfectly pruned southern live oaks.

Thank you George and Judith Smith for helping to make Mont Del a beautiful place to live!

October 2023

A big THANK YOU to the Ostrowski’s (Dan and Danielle) at 10 Crosslands Road for conjuring the
Halloween spirit.
This year the Ostrowski’s are inviting neighbors to dress up a skeleton, within loose limits of taste that
the Ostrowski’s get to regulate (it is their yard after all). There is a ghostly whisper about, the best
dressed skeleton can earn the title of “best dressed bones” with a prize to be announced at this year’s
trunk or treat at the pond (Saturday, October 28), so please reach out to Dan or Danielle if you wish.
The pictures speak for themselves so please enjoy!

Thanks again to the Ostrowski’s and don’t forget to dress up a skeleton!

See you at trunk or treat by the pond on October 28th!

September 2023

Congratulations to Hassan and Iman Kalie at 43 Bounty Road West for earning the title of Mont Del Estates Yard of the month for September 2023. The Kalie’s front scape is a space where avian beauty, meditative objects, and water flow communicate with passersby. As usual the images speak for themselves so please enjoy!

The bonsai style of this triad of mature crepe myrtles communicates dedication.

Awareness and perception trickle from this pagoda fountain

A Japanese stone lantern offers fortitude to light.

Waterbird statues symbolize grace and beauty living and playing among chaos in this talus micro scape.

A water feature continuously flows above a sedge of cranes and giant crinum lily.

A big THANK YOU to the Kalie’s for helping to make Mont Del a beautiful place to live!

August 2023

Congratulations to Sam and Pam Kalil at 18 Crosslands Road for earning the title of Mont Del Estates Yard of the month for August 2023! The pictures speak for themselves so please enjoy!

A southward shelterbelt of oaks provides a verdent curbside parasol.

The foot path provides a mingling spot for butterfly bush and petunias.

A view from the solarium includes a cascade of Japanese juniper.

A host of angel wings (a.k.a., Jesus heart)

A parade of elephant ears (a.k.a. Taro or Colocasia).

A big thank you to the Kalil family for helping to make Mont Del estates a beautiful place to live!

July 2023

Congratulations to Richard and Teresa Heyser at 4 Thornhill Road for earning the title this month! This yard is a vibrant pollinator’s paradise. As usual the pictures speak for themselves so please enjoy!

All visitors to this residence are greeted by floral sentries of tea roses.

These lemon lilies are a tall glass of visual lemonade in the summer heat.

These flowering crepe myrtles are more than a runner up in this pageant.

A butterfly bush captured mid-explosion.

The matchsticks of a Lantana gradually spreading its red and yellow flame.

Silver grass posing in its proud and plus sized rococo.

The shadow of a young silver maple, aspires to its picnic perfect setting.

June 2023

Congratulations to neighbors Brian McCorquodale and Jill Johnson at 51 Bounty Road East who have earned the title for the month of June. As usual, the images speak for themselves, so please enjoy them and try to experience this yard in its real and natural glory as the photos really do not do it justice.

The front lawn is carpeted with bermuda grass, so meticulously nourished and kempt, that it’s visual texture commands the respect of even the most obsessive of lawn keepers.

Xeriscaped plant beds offer contrast and balance to the bermuda grass carpet.

A crown of Whale’s tongue agave laps up the afternoon sun

An orderly and drought tolerant floral façade.

Queen Victoria Agave (a.k.a. Royal Agave) is among the procession.

Rosemary always makes a fragrant addition to any garden.

A candelabra of Candelilla (a.k.a. little candle)

Thanks again to neighbors Brian and Jill for their hard work and dedication that has brought this showcase of drought tolerant beauty to our neighborhood.

May 2023

Yard of the Month took a winter break, but spring has finally sprung. The neighborhood street crews are still doing their upgrades on certain blocks, but several Mont Del residents are already sparking joy with their polychromatic garden displays. Without further delay, Mont Del Yard of the Month for May 2023 is awarded to the Jones residence. As usual, the images speak for themselves:

Many thanks to the Jones’ for raising the aesthetic bar and the visually joyful displays!

December 2022

The December yard of the month award was threatened by the extensive neighborhood gas line repairs which are still in progress, making efforts to have a minimally kempt yard a very difficult proposition. Like a Christmas miracle, the Mallick yard at 7 Thornhill Road has again blessed the neighborhood for another holiday season. In exchange for the blessings of light, Fred Mallick again asks that we think of giving the gift of health to a child in need at St. Jude children’s hospital. With that in mind, please enjoy this sampling of holiday spirit. Please try to view the real display, in its full musical glory before the new year which is right around the corner.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Novemeber 2022
Spooky!

The Ostrowski’s (Dan and Danielle) at 10 Crosslands Road have fully embraced the Halloween spirit. It is impossible to enter Mont Del without admiring and marveling over this ghoulish and fun menagerie. Most of us just pass by, but those who dare to stop and approach the staircase are met by the talking hobgoblin of Mont Del. Inspiring and artful, the pictures speak for themselves.

Remember that Thanksgiving and Christmas are coming.

Fierce holiday yard displays are a great way to be nominated for yard of the month!

October 2022

This micro-scape at 22 Legend is a great example of how sometimes, less is more. This curbside eye pleaser features (from left to right) a large white bowl of purple Globe amaranth, a clay pot of African fountain grass, a green bushel of autumn sage (behind the lamp post), Common yellow lantana (peeking above the rocks), green/purple trident leaves of sweet potato, red Madagascar periwinkle, and more yellow lantana. A big THANK YOU to the Estradas for creating this small visual oasis, which thanks to its strategic placement under the lamp post, remains illuminated each evening.

September 2022

Many thanks to Wallace and Catherine Schmuck at 3 Thornhill Road for their yard that continued to shine and inspire during the most relentless days of this passing summer 2022. As usual the images speak for themselves:

An explosion of desert spoons (a.k.a. desert sotol, desert candles) flank the yard of the month sign

The foreground of this composition has low lying Japanese garden juniper flanking the center/taller Rocky mountain juniper (aka Western juniper)

A crown of Parry’s agave (a.k.a. mescal agave, Parry’s century plant) in the foreground

Indian blanket (0range and yellow flowers), trailing Lantana (while flowers)

The artists/neighbors Catherine and Wallace

August 2022

A big THANK YOU to the Ringlers (Brant and Miquelle) at 37 Bounty Road West for their polychromatic display!

Purple coneflower (tall pink-purple flowers, Echinacea purpurea) with Mexican Petunia (short ground level purple-blue flowers)

Halberd-leaf rosemallow (Hibiscus Laevis)

Cape leadwort (purple flowered, Plumbago auriculata), Beefsteak plant (green leaf with burgundy edge), Coleus (burgundy with green edge) medley.

July 2022

A big THANK YOU to the Tucker residence at 10 Mont Del Drive for years of meticulous devotion and maintenance of the Xeriscape yard concept. When I moved into Mont Del 16 years ago, the Xeriscape yard was one of the first yards that stood out to me. Over time, this yard concept seems to communicate order, harmony, determination, and simple elegance at all times of the year, accomplished with enviable low water use. The scenery speaks for itself.

The MDHOA Yard of the Month recognition body has become active again after a long hiatus. The revival of the Yard of the Month is long overdue given the notable efforts of both long established and new residents of Mont Del. Many neighbors have visibly devoted time, effort, and resources into inspiring curb appeal and land scaping, both on a large and small scale. Even yards that have not necessarily changed in their basic elements can communicate a spirit of pride, care, and commitment through consistent and meticulous upkeep. Yard of the Month is a big THANK YOU to residents whose yards serve as a vehicle of positive communication and inspiration to the residents and visitors of Mont Del. If you have nominations for Yard of the Month, please reach out to me Matt Rios, area 8 representative, or any Mont Del Board member.

Plant species were identified using the “Picture this” phone app