18 Feb 2016 Seasonall: Conway couple savors gardening year-round
by Jan Spann
Gardeners can be tempted with the wide plant variety available in spring and summer, but this approach leaves garden gaps in the fall and winter months. The thoughtful gardener takes time to plan and select plants to maximize year-round garden interest.
Larry and Sarah Guinn took the planned approach when they purchased their West Conway home in 1998. The two commenced work soon after considering the lay of the land and what they envisioned it could be. Three Japanese maple seedlings and a golden rain tree (Koelreuteria paniculata) anchor three backyard beds. Japanese maples offer slow and steady growth and bring a variety of colors to the garden.
The rain tree has fast growth and a wide spread, offering understory plants protection from summer heat. Its June to July showy clusters of small yellow flowers billow down to form a carpet under the tree, inspiring its common name. Introduced in the U.S. in 1747, this tree adapts to many climate conditions, tolerates a variety of soil types and requires little care. However, its non-native status means it reseeds generously and can become invasive.
Another option could be Fothergilla major or witch alder, an Arkansas native that will reach heights up to 10 feet. You can keep it smaller by summer pruning to ensure the most flowers. Give it full sun for great fall color and fragrant, showy flowers that bloom from April to May. Fothergilla Mt. Airy is a deciduous dwarf ornamental shrub with brush-like creamy white flowers. It is fairly drought tolerant and grows to about four to five feet.
Beds under the trees include a variety of perennials that offer seasonal interest through the year: roses, lilies, caladiums, bee balm, hydrangea, autumn sedum, chrysanthemum and Queen Anne’s lace given to Sarah by her friend Joanne Henderson.
Many gardeners especially enjoy garden remembrances shared by friends and family members. Queen Anne’s lace — also known as wild carrot or bishop’s lace — is a biennial that is often seen on roadsides and ditches. This non-native competes with native species. It can be used in food dishes or dried for flower arrangements. Pimpinella saxifrage, or burnet-saxifrage, is an herbaceous perennial with showy flowers similar to Queen Anne’s lace. Naturalize it in full sun to part shade and expect white blooms from June to July.
Larry was a forestry major at Auburn University when he spotted an Auburn High School beauty who would become his wife. They have been married 57 years and have three children. Larry flew for the Air National Guard and later as a corporate pilot for Universal Nolan, which moved the family to Conway 45 years ago. Sarah did garden work while he flew, and later with the kids in school, she earned her master’s degree at the University of Central Arkansas at age 50. Sarah retired after 18 years of teaching third grade at Julia Lee Moore Elementary School. By that time, Larry’s career migrated to export sales management, and as a hobby, he opened an archery store to give him something to do in retirement. Hunter’s Choice closed in December 2014 after 31 years.
The outdoor garden plan by now included new beds around the back of the house and others extending to the back of their property line. In 2009, Larry’s decision to build a pergola in the shade garden became more dangerous than they could have imagined. What he thought was just heavy sweating from the heat and work turned out to be a heart blockage called the “widowmaker,” so named because of its low survival rate. Thanks to cardiologists Don Steely and E. J. Chauvin at Conway Regional, Larry survived the double bypass and now leaves the heavy lifting garden tasks to others.
Having had several careers in their lifetimes, Larry and Sarah take pleasure in their garden and their time together. They are active members of Woodland Heights Baptist Church. In addition to gardening, they play bridge, and Larry enjoys golf, hunting and fishing.
Their family includes James and daughter Pam Freyaldenhoven who live in Holland, sons Clay and wife, Trish, and Cal and Rachel. Grandchildren Taylor (23), Griffin (20) and Callie (4) round out the close-knit clan.
The Guinns will celebrate their 57th wedding anniversary in 2016. Just like their garden, Larry and Sarah have been through seasons of life experiences and now celebrate the accomplishments of a life well lived.
A Conway resident, Jan Spann has been gardening for 20-plus years and has been involved with the Faulkner County Master Gardeners for 11 years. She and her husband, Randy, have five children and eight grandchildren.
