By Theresa Damron
Will and Gina Barker’s home is off a country road close to Leestown Road. It sits on a hillside above a stream. Will and Gina have lived here for almost 18 years with their children, Alexa and Olivia. During this time, they have created a lovely oasis for their family in both the front and back yards. Many of the landscaping ideas come from Alexa and Olivia.
Because of the home’s outstanding landscape design, The Garden Club of Frankfort has chosen the home of Will and Gina Barkers’ home as Frankfort’s House of the Month.
Crossing the creek, the first view of the property is the hillside leading to the house. The natural stone on the hillside has inspired the use of natural stone throughout the property. Looking up, you are greeted with a whimsical iron sculpture of a sasquatch running in the yard.
As you round a curve, another shade garden runs alongside the road and is filled with such plants as oakleaf hydrangeas, columbine, ferns, trees and more natural stone. Past the garden, is the first view of the house.
The front of the house is showcased by a wall leading to the front door. The wall serves as both a retaining wall and as a contrast to the plants. It was added about six years ago, along with the steps and stones leading to the front yard.
Plants include an assortment of boxwoods, azaleas, ginkgo biloba ‘Mariken’ tree, ruby slippers, oakleaf hydrangeas, spirea, a variety of daylilies, rose bushes, Sweetbay Magnolia tree and a couple of global blue spruce. The creeping phlox that flows over the wall is breathtakingly beautiful in the spring.
A deck overlooks the backyard. When the Barkers first moved into the house there was just a small concrete patio and overgrown viburnum bushes that blocked any view of the backyard. The Barkers love the outdoors and they built a multi-tiered deck that gives easy access to the backyard.
The black spindles were included so as not to hinder their view. The deck is filled with colorful annuals, perennials and flowering trees. They like to experiment with colors and textures.
A garden in the backyard has been there for close to 16 years and offers a focal point from the deck. The natural stone border encloses many sun-loving plants, including rose bushes, wine and roses weigela, and ornamental grasses to name just a few. A serviceberry tree was added a couple of years ago and a patio peach tree was added this year.
The yard is designed to provide interest during every season. Even in December, the house is a delight for the neighborhood with Santa’s brightly lit reindeer running joyfully through the front yard to the door.
