November’s Junius Heights Historic District Yard of the Month Award goes to Shannon Dekat and Keith Black.

Shannon and Keith have lived in their 99-year-old Craftsman home on 6015 Worth Street about 13 years but have lived in the area for over 20. When they moved in, the front garden consisted of Nandini, sweet potato vines, and boxwoods. They promptly removed the boxwoods and added abelia bush, fringe flower, and lantana but Shannon’s dream was to have a butterfly garden. “So, I became a member of the Texas Discovery Gardens and started going to their plant sales. I have plants that attract monarchs, fritillaries, and various swallowtails to lay their eggs on. I love watching the metamorphosis of the caterpillars. My favorite flowers are a pink gomphrena that has grown like crazy, and an annual called ‘cat whiskers’ which I can’t always find each year. While I love the butterflies, I am happy that our place is a safe haven for bees, spiders, geckos, lizards, and birds. We sometimes see possums, owls, and hawks. It’s like a little ecosystem wonderland.”

Their foundation flower beds are beautifully landscaped with interesting natives and statement yard art, one impressive sculpture is a six-foot sculpture of the Crow King and is a gift from a neighborhood metal artist, Ace Cordell. Under cover of darkness, he planted this artwork in their yard last year during the pandemic in honor of the flock of lawn crows that visit their lawn each October.

Congratulation Shannon and Keith! Your pollinator garden is a delightful gift to all who walk (or fly) by.