Historical September–October 2016 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
Each year on the tour we explore a different part of SkinkerDebaliviere.
This year the tour took us to the 6000 and 6100 blocks of Kingsbury, acknowledging the 50th anniversary of our neighborhood community council at our neighborhood hub, Greg Freeman Park, and continued through yards of people who have been very active in our community in many ways.
Here are excerpts from the tour book. Bill and Mary Christman: Artists and gardeners see beauty in things and places which others might miss.
The arrangement of plants and objects can make all the difference in how a collection is appreciated. Bill doesn’t buy stuff; “Get ëem for free – check the alley.
There are a lot of things that get thrown away and that’s the good stuff!
When people go to the home supply store, they all buy the same materials, and their yards all have the same look to them. Half the fun is scavenging.” Mary does the planting – a lot from friend’s yards.
There are many different areas to grow in and she is always looking for plants she doesn’t have yet.
There are several memorials to people, pets, and ideas from days gone by.
This is more than nostalgia; it is a living artwork which Bill and Mary curate. Matt and Rachel Boxdorfer: This yard is a Skinker DeBaliviere history lesson.
The patio was set by Rachel’s parents, Rick and Joan Bender, when the family moved into Skinker DeBaliviere in 1970.
The Bender’s were very active in Skinker DeBaliviere and helped to save this neighborhood from urban decay.
The plantings here, including Maddy’s strawberry patch, lettuce, zucchini, cucumbers, and herbs, somehow survive the boundless energy of two active dogs which romp through the yard.
The fence and walls are adorned with keepsakes, gifts from friends, pots from neighbor’s yards, and sand castings by Rick including portraits of old neighbors. Maddy’s tree house, used by big kids too, was built by neighbor Dan Hudspeth and is constructed entirely of found and reclaimed materials. Matt and Rachel, along with Shauna Cunningham and Beth Bender (whose garden we visited earlier on the tour), continue with their family tradition by dedicating countless hours to our neighborhood and we are grateful for all of their help.
Original photograph caption
Mary Christman.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, September–October 2016.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times2016_09.pdf, printed page(s) 4; PDF page(s) 4.
