Houston Rose Society 2008 Garden Tours

Saturday, April 19^th, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm

Harvey and Nell Shimek 3122 Nelson Rd, Alvin, TX 281-331-4395

The acre around Harvey & Nell Shimek’s home is landscaped, and daylily borders are used when there are enough plants to make a border. Having grown roses for a number of years, they have about 90 bushes of Hybrid Teas, OGRs and Miniatures. The side garden is filled with eight hemerocallis (daylily) beds; older daylilies, and with their seedlings, are grown in this area. They grow about 800 different cultivars, along with thousands of their seedlings. They collect unusual plants and grow a collection of jatrophas, bauhinias, gingers, plumerias and many other unusual plants. They grow roses and hibiscus as well.

Directions: Take TX Hwy 35 south to Highway 6; right to 2nd Street; left to end; right on Sealy (becomes Davis Bend) to County Road 283; right to CR 237; left to house on right.

Robin Hough 915 Oak Vista Ct, Friendswood, TX 281-482-8944

A beautiful garden in a small town setting. See what a top-grade rose grower can do with the Queen of Flowers. Blue ribbon winners seem to just flow out of Robin’s rose beds. It is easy to see how well-grown roses produce not only show quality blooms but also great yard color.

Directions: South on I-45 to Dixie Farm Rd; right to FM 518; left three streets to Winding Rd; left to Oak Vista Ct; left to house in cul-de-sac. From Shimek: Return north on Hwy 35 to Pearland; right on FM 518 three streets past Dixie Farm Rd; left to Oak Vista Ct; left to house in cul-de-sac.

Baxter and Patsy Williams 2502 Leprechaun Ln, Houston, TX 713-944-3437

As in most gardens, there have been changes. Several new varieties are to be found in this large garden. The Fortuniana climbing into the top of the tree over the greenhouse provides rootstock for about 80 percent of Patsy’s roses. The vegetable garden behind the gazebo furnishes good food to the Williams’ table.

Directions: Travel south on I-45 to the Monroe Rd exit; left under the freeway to Winkler (one block); bear right across the railroad tracks onto S. Richey St; right on Queens Rd; right at the condos on Valley Forge to Skylark; right to end of street; left to first house on right. From Hough: Back to FM 518; right to Dixie Farm Rd; right to I-45; left to Monroe Rd exit; right on Monroe, then see above.

Donald Burger, Maria Trevino 702 Mosby Cir, Houston, TX 713-861-5412

Where else could one go to see a working (garden scale) railroad and over one hundred beautiful roses of all types just five minutes from downtown Houston? The rose gardens feature winding beds with rock borders, with mulched paths. Roses include hybrid teas, floribundas, miniatures, climbers and OGRs. Their yard also features a goldfish pond and two bee hives. Native Texas plants are featured throughout. Donald and Maria can stand on their back porch and cast their views across a sea of Old Garden Roses. At the end of busy days in court (Donald) and directing the business of a national sewing guild (Maria), relaxing in this garden keeps life in good perspective.

Directions: IH-10 westbound to Exit 766 (Heights/Yale); make a U-turn under the freeway and travel the frontage road (eastbound) to Studemont, left 0.6 miles to 7-1/2th Street, left (west) to Mosby Circle, left to house in the cul-de-sac. From Williams: Return to IH-45, and travel northbound past downtown Houston to IH-10 W; west bound to Heights-Yale Exit; see above.

Debra and Dennis Stephens 1307 Glenhilshire, Houston, TX 713-467-9141

The same drive that gives Debra White-Stephens’ financial planning business its success is also used to beautify this delightful garden. Having a mix of many types of roses provides continuous color. You’ll see full-color shrubs in the front yard, large climbers along the driveway, leading to a mix of varieties in the back. See if you can tell which is Debra’s favorite.

Directions: Take I-10 W to Wirt Rd; right (north) to Westview; left to Glenhilshire (across from Pine Chase on the right); left to house at end of cul-de-sac. From Burger-Trevino: Travel west on I-10 to Wirt Rd; then see above.

Mary Fulgham, Randy Keen 5335 Braeburn, Bellaire, TX 713-668-4054

A highlight garden on many of our past Garden Tours, Mary and Randy and Ivy has all made this garden shine. You’ll want to pay close attention to varieties recently hybridized by Mary and Ivy, and get them to tell you their hybridizing secrets. This garden is on a large corner lot, which allows neighbors and casual passersby to fill their eyes and cameras with living color.

Directions: Take US Hwy 59 South to Chimney Rock; south past Bissonnet to Braeburn; left (west) to house on left at corner of Alder. From Stephens: Back to I-10; left (east) to Loop 610; south to Bellaire exit; continue on access road to Braeburn; right to house on left at corner of Alder.