Carolee Woodrum and her husband, Clifford, bought their 1929 brick cottage at 511 Sycamore, cornered by Buchanan, two years ago. They left behind a much larger home and three acres of gardens to have less work and more time for family.

Carolee has been gardening since the age of ten, when her love of flowering things began. The Woodrums are delighted that the front of their new home gets morning sun, which is ideal for growing almost anything.

Before they could begin planting in their new yard, however, they spent months digging out monkey grass and vines which had taken over the flowerbeds and spread into the lawn. The cleared beds allowed rosebushes and a variety of colorful blooms to take center stage.

They have incorporated various shades of red, yellow and white into their landscape and have added azaleas and other shrubs. Hydrangeas are the next to be added.

Clifford enjoys mowing, as he says it keeps him occupied and active. Carolee loves the feeling of being closer to God’s creation when she’s tending the flowerbeds. Both say it can be hard work at times, but they like seeing their carefully tended yard when they come home.

Fannie Marchman Garden Club of Mineola recognizes their beautiful yard as November’s Yard of the Month.