Maureen Gluth
Cleveland, Ohio
Secretary

The front of my yard is full sun. I have black-eyed Susans that come up every year. I also have tulips and daffodils that are on their way up now…they look pretty. On the tree-lawn I have alyssums, which are also perennials. I can't find anything as pretty as begonias, so I plant them every year. I also plant Easter lilies and gladiolas. In the backyard, I plant strawberries, as well as marigold to keep the varmints away.

I grow the perennial ivies and hostas. They grow well in shade so they're perfect for our wooded yard. Pachysandras are my favorite greens. I get a lot of color and texture with these plants. I also grow them because the deer won't eat them. Deer are abundant out here in Kirtland!

Cis Ricchiuto
Ohio City, Cleveland, Ohio
Glass Blower & Metal Smith

I adore day lilies as well as native plants that attract butterflies such as butterfly bushes and purple cone flowers. Dolichos are one of my favorite – they put out a gorgeous purple flower and a bean pod. The have finally naturalized in my garden, even though they're considered annuals.

Jan Liber
Lakewood, Ohio
Department Assistant, Case Western Reserve University

In my vegetable garden, I like to grow all kinds of lettuces, endive, spinach, tomatoes and onions – so I can make a nice salad. In my flower garden, I like to grow different types of daisies. I also love pansies because they're so sweet. You need to start with a rich soil using all kinds of organic materials and do the right preparation, otherwise you won't get good results with your garden.

I took a year, went to the library, studied what would be best for my area, made a floor plan of my yard and picked out the flowers I wanted. I planted Canadian hemlock, Japanese iris, oakleaf hydrangeas, multiple ferns and hostas, smoketree, Russian sage and a spice tree. It is so rewarding and nurturing to see a year of work now come to fruition. This year I'm going to buy some annuals, maybe some dusty millers and geraniums.

Mindy Bartholomae
Shaker Heights, Ohio
Teacher

We have the great fortune of acquiring a “double-deep” backyard designed by the English woman who previously owned our home. We have a separate herb garden surrounded by brick and several perennial gardens including a rose garden. In our vegetable garden, we plant heirloom tomatoes, raspberries and blueberries, hot peppers, red and green peppers, several varieties of lettuce, beets and parsnips. We also compost and recycle. We don't use any herbicides or pesticides.