The Garden Club of Kewanee has bestowed their annual summer title of June’s “Yard of the Month” on homeowners Julie and Keith Bridgewater. As in years past, the recognition comes with a yard sign, a gift certificate to Sunnyfield Greenhouse and Garden Center and an award to frame.

When the Bridgewaters moved into their home on Dwight Street 28 years ago, there was plenty of yard work to keep them busy.

“It had tall bushes that covered half of the windows,” said Julie. “We tore them out as soon as we moved in.”

After that first task, the landscaping became a “work in progress.” Julie said she had no plan for how she would lay out her garden and landscaping, but she began to add plants and decorations each year.

An old vintage door is the star feature in her front beds.

“We added that a few years ago,” she said.

The old chair that sits in the front, edged bed belonged to her grandmother. A red well-pump with a pond also takes center-stage on her front lawn.

“You have to decorate,” Julie said. “I love anything vintage.”

Joline Oswald, a member of the Garden Club of Kewanee, agreed that decorations in addition to plants, shrubs, trees and flowers always appeal to the committee members responsible for selecting the “Yard of the Month.”

Growing up on a farm, Julie isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty. Both of her grandmothers had elaborate gardens, so she comes by her gardening skills rightly.

“To me it’s relaxing,” she said. “I love digging in the dirt.”

While her husband was away fishing, Julie agreed to answer five questions from The Kewanee Voice about gardening and having their yard selected for the summer’s first recognition:

How many hours do you spend each week gardening and performing yard work tasks?

Julie estimates she spends about two hours a day. Keith is very helpful and likes to water. He also enjoys mowing, but Julie said that she usually jumps in to take on the task first. “Thursday is my mowing day,” she said. “I am usually out there all day.”

What is your favorite part of gardening/yard work?

Keith likes to mow the grass, while Julie loves the planting part, where she gets to put her flowers into the soil.

What is your least favorite part of gardening/yard work?

For Julie, her least favorite part is trimming the bushes. “I have plenty and I feel like as soon as I get them done, it’s time to do it all over again.” Keith, like many homeowners, doesn’t care for weeding, she said.

What is your favorite shrub/plant/tree or flower?

Julie’s favorite is an orange azalea bush that grows out back. Her husband’s favorite flower is Black-eyed Susans.

How does it feel to have your yard recognized as “Yard of the Month?”

“It’s nice to see that someone has noticed all of the hard work,” she said. “I like having a welcoming, pretty yard.