Visit the gardens of Chris and Cynthia Haycraft at 1601 Ashland from 10:00 to 11:30 AM on Saturday, June 12!

*The homeowners have requested that all visitors wear masks.*

Chris and Cynthia Haycraft moved into their historic house at 1601 Ashland 30 years ago and spent much of that time restoring their home. But when it came time to tackle the landscaping of the very large property, they knew they needed help and hired Ravenscourt Landscaping in the fall of 2019. New hardscaping included a pergola, brick patio, underground drainage, updating the irrigation system, and adding the beautiful beds that they have today. Planting was done early in the spring of 2020 which completely changed the feel of the property and the owners’ time spent outdoors has increased immensely. Additions of a vegetable garden, fruit trees, and beehives for pollination help to complete the gardening makeover.

One of the most interesting features of the landscaping was the addition of a Rain Garden. … “A rain garden is a depressed area in the landscape that collects rainwater from a roof, driveway, or street and allows it to soak into the ground. Planted with grasses and flowering perennials, rain gardens can be a cost-effective and beautiful way to reduce runoff from your property. Rain gardens can also help filter out pollutants in runoff and provide food and shelter for butterflies, songbirds and other wildlife.” – EPA

The property is a sizeable northwest corner lot that slopes to the northeast. The soil at the north end of the pool had been eroding away for years. Soil was excavated and used to shore up the pool side and create a berm on the other side of the planting area. The depression was then layered with sand, gravel, and rocks. The slope of the property allows overflow water to drain to the street ditch. This is important for big rain events like Hurricane Harvey. The continued addition of compost and organic fertilizer to their heavy clay soil improves the health of the soil and in turn helps to naturally aerate the soil.

A little history about the historic home: The Haycrafts purchased the home from Minnie Knittel, who was a school teacher in the Heights and the daughter of the man who built the house, Paul Knittel. She had a brother that became a dentist, starting his practice in the house and eventually becoming involved in starting the Heights Clinic, which is now the Heights Hospital. The house was built in two phases, the first of which was built around 1904 as a one-story shotgun-style home. Phase two, around 5-10 years later, involved lifting the existing house and building the first floor beneath it. When the Haycrafts moved in, the house only had 30-amp electrical service and no central air or heat. There was an a/c window unit in the kitchen and gas jets for space heaters throughout the house. The house was added to the National Register in June 1983.