Garden Stroll: Trees, pond welcome birds to Urbas yard
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By CANDICE NOVITZKE
The Chippewa Herald
Friday, June 20, 2008 3:07 PM CDT
When Mike and Janet Urbas moved in at their home on 4719 110th St. in Chippewa Falls, the yard was little else than a few dozen tiny pine trees.
So they got to work.
They thinned out the pine trees a bit, built a deck off the back of the house, and started planting trees and perennials. Garden beds have popped up all over the yard through the years.
“Now our yard doesn’t seem so big,” Mike said.
Among the first trees they planted are three Russian olives, which are now 20 years old. Visitors must take note of their smoke bush, a Viburnum blue muffin bush (which gets blue berries later in the season) and a magnolia tree.
“The magnolia blooms are sure a welcome sight after a long winter,” he said.
For several years, they gravitated toward planting shrubs, trees and vegetables, but recently started doing more perennials.
“We always try to look for stuff that blooms all season,” Janet said.
Though deer sometimes plague their shrubbery, all the wildlife isn’t a bother.
“Probably the neatest thing due to the landscaping we’ve done is the birds we see come through here,” Mike said.
He recently constructed a raised pond with a four-foot waterfall using 15-20 tons of rock. They planted cranberry bushes on the raised area to keep them safe from hungry deer. Around the edge, you’ll find Astrantia, Ligularia and bright yellow Achillea.
Though the waterfall and pond have become the focal point of their yard, Mike admits he’d have loved to make it even bigger.
“If it could be 10 feet wider and 10 feet higher, I’d be OK with it,” he said with a smile.
The American Red Cross garden stroll is 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, June 22 in Chippewa Falls. Tickets $10, include refreshments at The Landmark Christian Church, 4140 126th St., Chippewa Falls.
The Lake Hallie Police Department will be posting “no parking signs” on one side of the street near gardens which are in the Village of Lake Hallie. Strollers are asked to watch for and obey the signs.
Get tickets at the church or at any of the gardens on the stroll:
- Dan & Alec Bohan, & Cherie DeVries, 207 Cobban St.
- Mike & Janet Urbas, 4719 110th St.
- Judi & Glen Robison, 4531 110th St.
- Mike & Cyndi Aubart, 4515 110th St.
- Ardell & Bill Kurtz, 4271 113th St.
- Gayle Stanek, 3267 120th St.
Reach Candice Novitzke at candice.novitzke@lee.net.
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