With the 100-degree temperatures in June, it’s hard to remember the snows of recent winters. Stumps of our ‘foster’ hollies, ready to be removed when new trees are planted, remind me every time I drag the hose up our driveway.
 
Across the street at the Roland Park Woman’s Club, snow-damaged arborvitaes also had to come down this year. That exposed an old chain-link fence, one of many that sprang up in the neighborhood during the 1960’s. When I mentioned the newly exposed eyesore to Karen Offutt, who chairs the club’s grounds committee, she immediately took action.
 
Roland Park landscape architect Stuart Ortel visited the site and drew up plans for replanting. He also offered a few other suggestions for improvements to the back garden of the club.
 
When Carroll Tree Service cut down our damaged hollies, my husband sponsored a little cosmetic pruning of snow-damaged ornamental plum, cherry and holly trees at the club.
 
This Tuesday and Wednesday, Offutt and house manager Justin Colebank planted English laurels, red twig dogwoods, and limelight and oak leaf hydrangeas, as well as a dozen liriope plants from Offutt’s own garden.
 
On the two warmest days of spring, horticultural beauty brought cool greens to a visible back corner.