This couple’s garden reflects their New England heritage.
Story by Judy Spaar | Photography by Matt Kocourek
Within nature, lies art and a mirror into a soul. Such is this garden. An artist and gardener, Gerry O’Neill has painted images of flowering plants in he and his wife, Karla’s, garden. Each sketch portrays a different flower, from a hydrangea, Japanese iris, Magnolia, peonies and more.
These two have a true meeting of the minds! This creative pair were each born into generations of gardening in the storied New England countryside. Gerry O’Neill, one of six, and wife, Karla, one of eight, spent time weeding their large vegetable gardens, a necessity then. With all the canning and freezing, neither is in love with vegetable gardens, but their passion is flowering plants and unique ornamental decorations.
“My love for gardening and plants started when my father converted those vegetable gardens into flower gardens!” Karla mused.
The two began their destiny together at the hospital where they both worked. Gerry, an Orthopedic Surgical Tech, and Karla, a nurse in the emergency department. Three years after they married, they made the move from Massachusetts to Kansas City. Gerry accepted a position at Truman Medical Center in the Orthopedic Clinic, mentoring orthopedic residents. Ever the lovebirds, Karla took a position with him at Truman as a trauma nurse. Fast forward ten years, Gerry moved into a private Orthopedic practice.
The garden is filled with original artwork featuring the flowering plants in their lush menagerie of well thought out greenery and color.
“We started gardening together after we built our house in Olathe in 1986. We started with the typical builder’s landscaping,” she continued. “Gerry is the artist and became a Master Gardener about 12 years ago. My father was always looking for something to do when he and mom visited. On one of their visits after our daughter was born, I mentioned I missed the beautiful flowers in his and my grandmother’s garden, especially the hydrangeas and bleeding hearts, which are delicate pink flowers in the spring. At that time our yard was all sun, not conducive for hydrangeas and bleeding hearts. I then chose a rose garden. Gerry did the hardscaping prep and the next time my father visited we planted 12 rose bushes! He also brought irises from his garden and Lily of the Valley from my grandmother. The Lily of the Valley is still thriving under our birch tree. That was about 34 years ago! Together over the past 34 years we expanded our gardens.”
He painted every piece of art in preparation for the Master Gardener tour of their creation last year. He wanted to paint flowers that would not be in bloom at the time of the tour. Their neighbor was kind enough to build the easels so they could display them. Many visitors not only enjoyed the garden, but the art too.
Gerry did the hardscaping, and all the garden beds borders which are stone. The two created the stone pathways. The two oak trees they planted matured to provide shade for their rose garden.
“Eventually most of our backyard became shaded and the stone paths and additional shade gardens were created because we could no longer grow grass in those areas. I finally got my hydrangeas and bleeding hearts!” she smiled. “We have a large collection of hydrangeas, 27 total shrubs and seven Magnolia trees which are the backbone of the shade gardens.”
Their goal is to plant with intent, and they select shade and sun perennials based on color and texture of the foliage as well as the flowers. She shared that their garden is a work in progress moving perennials multiple times to get the right look. They do the same in sun borders and have 15 different peonies, Japanese irises, etc.
“The irises from my father no longer exist. Our gardens and stone borders and pathways remind us of New England,” she added.
A cheerful terracotta frog planter keeps watch in the garden, a gift from Karla’s then four-year-old daughter and husband for Mother’s Day, she explained, “Over the past 30 plus years the terracotta chipped away so I painted it with a metallic craft paint.”
The iron work throughout consists of plant holders and hoops made by Gerry, who bent rebar to form the shapes. He also built the potting table and garden tool shelf. The iron gate leading to the stone patio was designed by Gerry and built by a friend. The wooden gate was created and built by Gerry.
The table in the garden has a painting of the crab apple flower that had already bloomed during the tour.
“The theme of our garden is the art of gardening,” Karla enamored. “Our patio has been designed to create a relaxing area, especially in the early mornings. The blue Adirondack chairs offer a view of all our gardens.”
It is safe to say that this garden will continue to evolve and thrive for years to come.
