Then watch the beauty unfold in this colorful garden.

Story by Judy Spaar ~ Photos courtesy of Lynda Janzen, Johnson County Master Gardener

A loving mantra that guides this garden-loving couple. Luscious hostas, a sweeping, weeping willow, sweet-scented hydrangeas, and a plethora of other wowing colors and blooms thrive in their living gardens.

Lynda Janzen, Johnson County Master Gardener, alongside her husband, Rod, has literally created a magical place to enjoy and share.

“Rod and I moved into our new home in Olathe in 2016. We had never built a new house, so it was very fun and exciting,” Lynda expressed. “We liked our lot because it offered a lot of green space we knew we could build on. There was no grass in the back, so we collected abandoned sod pieces from other new builds and just kept reseeding year after year.”

Working together in the garden, planting new beds, digging, planting, ripping out, and replanting again, creating an atmosphere of beauty and joy. Their favorite pastime is visiting flea markets, antique shops, and estate sales, with the adventure of finding things left on the side of the road, all adding that capricious touch to their gardens.

“I could see the design scheme, and Rod supplied the elbow grease to fix things up, paint, and move it into place,” she continued. “I became a Master Gardener in 2021 during COVID, after I closed the Zu Zu’s boutique I owned. I have always loved plants, and making things look pretty, so decided to go for it and apply to be a Master Gardener. My class was considered the COVID class and we never got to meet in person for training. The K-State extension program, and the Johnson County extension office did an excellent job via Zoom. It was such a blessing to finally meet all of our classmates in person after our training was done. Great friendships are forged through the Master Gardener program.”

Spilling with greenery and colorful blooms, the large flower box under the front room window was a handmade birthday gift from Rod. Lynda loves its charm and warmth, as it overlooks the garden bed below. “This side of our house faces east and gets quite a bit of sun, so I plant things that thrive in sun. I water them practically every day, as it really helps keep them beautiful.”

A myriad of hostas, in different sizes and colored patterns, overflows throughout the gardens. As there were no trees when they first built their garden beds, these leafy plants had to tarry a bit before they could become garden glories.

“We had to wait for the trees to grow large enough to produce enough shade,” she smiled, adding, “We also purchased a weeping willow on the clearance rack for ten dollars at the end of the season. It was a tiny little guy, but we knew it would grow quickly and was perfect for a wet area in the yard. It is probably one of our favorite features, and everyone comments on its size and ‘weeping’ appearance.”

Along with the vast array of hostas, they planted clematis, hydrangeas, and other shade-loving plants. She loves hydrangeas, and some favorites are Annabelle’s on the north, shady side of the house, which she received from a friend some 20 years ago. She cherishes them so much that they have moved with her from three different houses. Divisions of the plants are growing in both their son and daughters’ yards.

Pots, birdhouses, and other flea market treasures are scattered throughout the gardens, adding a whimsical touch. The large birdbaths were actually discovered on the side of the street in the trash! “Rod somehow managed to wrangle them into the truck,” she laughed.

“We put in our garden path two years ago to tie the two berms together and break up the large lawn space. We love it, and it also has water and electricity underneath. We like the meandering pattern and feel it brings cottage whimsy to the gardens.”

Their white iron trellis, another adventure find, faces south, taking in the hot afternoon sun as the climbing vines decorate it in greenery. Paired with a large iron urn in its natural patina and an array of pink, purple, and white blooms, the bed lends itself to a vintage charm.

Tucked amongst their concrete statuary, four little ladybugs await to be found, hidden by their four grandchildren from Nebraska before they leave for home. “I look for them as I work in the garden, and it helps me not miss them so much,” she mused.

“We love to entertain and have a picnic table in the yard, and an older wrought iron dining set on the patio. I love topiaries, and have some on an old wooden bench, along with a potting table where I keep my potting soil and tools. We spend time sitting around our fire pit, especially in the evening with our kids and grandkids, many times enjoying a hot dog roast.”