Richmond Hill Garden Club’s July Yard of the Month is the home of Angel McBride. This historic home, located at 90 Cherokee St., was originally the cottage of Henry Ford’s architect. 

McBride started gardening during the pandemic, unaware that she had a natural talent for design and a latent green thumb. Her passion for gardening is evident throughout the yard, patio, porches and other outdoor structures. \

She says her plantings were severely damaged by the hailstorm in April, but she carefully tended those damaged plants—cutting and cleaning up broken plants and lawn areas. Her work paid off amazingly.

The yard includes plenty of plants to attract pollinators (a major concern of most serious gardeners), bright splashes of color in both plant leaves and blooms, a careful mix of leaf and bark textures, and plants that will delight during every season. Not only is there beauty now; there will be beauty throughout the year.

It’s not just the plants that are so impressive. The other outdoor structures are also. Neat beds, brick paths and stepping-stone walks, and neatly mulched beds show how much work and planning has gone into this garden. It’s clearly well-loved and well-nurtured.

One of the garden’s best features is its careful mixing of plants. There are annuals, perennials, bulbs, shrubs, trees, vines—simply everything a gardener can love. These are in pots that can be easily rearranged, in hanging baskets, and in the ground. And everything blends nicely into outdoor space for grilling, play areas for children, and seating areas for simply enjoying the outdoors.