ASHTABULA —
Thomas Sartini worked hard into making his yard a family-centered place that the whole family can enjoy.
The Garden of the Month winner considers it important to continue a family tradition that was started many years ago by his late mother, whose bird bath sits in a garden dedicated to her, overlooking Lake Erie.
Sartini, and his wife, Marlene, 2019 Walnut Blvd., are the winners of the Garden Trails Garden Club’s July Garden of the Month Award.
“Their gardens are good example of thrillers, fillers and spillers,” said Cyndi Licata, treasurer. “They made excellent use of plant material; we loved their hydrangeas.”
The extensive gardens didn’t come about overnight, Thomas Sartini said, noting they have lived there 37 years.
It took years to reach this level of beauty and continues to take hours of maintenance each week. He credits his wife’s recent retirement for providing the extra hours needed to weed and.
Pointing to his huge hostas, he said, “People always say, ‘What do you feed your hostas?’ I say, ‘Nothing.’”
The backyard boasts two memorial gardens in honor of their late sons, which each include a wind chime, roses, lilies, pansies and marigolds.
There’s also a miniature garden, a green garden, whimsical lawn ornaments, benches overlooking Lake Erie, pedestal pots of geraniums and a fabulous window box. A garden for their four grandchildren includes “Mr. Tree,” one of several, grand, very tall, old trees in the backyard. Colorful hydrangeas and annuals are sprinkled everywhere.
Marlene Sartini said gardening has been “great therapy” for her husband.
“It helps him relax,” she said.
Thomas Sartini said he gave up golf and took up gardening because he realized he was never going to get any better at golf, “but I am getting better at gardening.”
Local garden clubs also are invited to the club’s Floral Design Show Sept. 15 at the Ashtabula Elks Club, 3115 Lake Road West. For more information, call 964-9586 or 992-7776.
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