June 2026 Yard of the Month – 1707 Rutland

Barbara Biel is an artist and her yard at 1707 Rutland clearly reflects this. Inspired by English gardens, Biel enjoys taming the wildness, but also keeping it natural looking. This is a small personal garden where you see the owner’s personality in the selection and placement of plants. Her pallet of plants is artfully arranged into distinctive garden ‘rooms’. And while this is a small garden, it is densely packed with new discoveries at every turn.

Trees include many varieties: crape myrtle, Rose of Sharons, Moringa, fig, hop tree, red barren peach, Bauhinia, and many dwarf Japanese maples. Four Will Flemming yaupons create a wall around the patio. Shrubs include a massive Loropetalum, Texas sage, rock rose, Brazilian Princess flower, box woods, knock-out rose, oak leaf hydrangea, and a unique Ligustrum Seninse Wimbei. Two flowering vines, trumpet and wisteria, provide a screen from the street and driveway.

Bulbs include Burgundy crinums, lilies, day lilies, dietes irises, crocosmia, and amaryllis. California gerbera daisies, cosmos, chrysanthemums, zinnias, nasturtiums, a first-time dahlia, and a wide selection of salvias are just a few of the smaller flowering plants in her garden. A variety of ground covers, succulents and ferns are scattered among the perennials and annuals.

Her yard clearly demonstrates how to get the maximum amount of plant viewing happiness out of a small space. This garden invites quiet sitting and reflection. Nothing better than sitting and watching plants grow. Of course, friends make it even nicer.

We would like to thank Buchanan’s Native Plants for the nice gift card given to Barbara for our June Yard of the Month. Buchanan’s is located at 611 E. 11th St. 713-861-5702 www.buchanansplants.com