Subdivision: Sundance Mesa
Owner/ Designer: John and Sherri Streicher
Garden Type or Features: Backyard wildlife refuge & low water usage. Certified by nmBackyardRefuge.org. Education: “Gardening with Birds” by NMSU Coop. Ext. Agent Bethany Abrahamson and Master Gardeners
Artist in the Garden: Kyle Hollingsworth.
Description:
Like so many of us, when John and Sherri Streicher purchased their Placitas home three years ago, the gardens and landscaping needed work. There was existing mature vegetation, but the overall look was rough and lacked visual appeal. With a general vision in mind, they decided to spruce things up themselves, with three main objectives:
- Create curb appeal to enhance the value of their property
- Create interesting outdoor spaces, that could be enjoyed year round
- Attract birds, bees and animals for pleasant viewing
With limited resources and realistic expectations, they embarked on a two-year project to revitalize their garden with the motto “do your best with what you’ve got”. All garden work was done entirely by the homeowners, who found inspiration from visiting neighbor’s homes, attending prior Placitas Garden Tours, and taking local gardening classes and workshops. With efficiency and water conservation in mind, swales were created to take advantage of natural rainwater collection, supplemented by drip irrigation and hand hose watering. The homeowner’s water usage aligns with the neighborhood average.
The property’s garden tour includes unique winding pathways through native vegetation such as desert willow, New Mexico olive, juniper, Chamisa, yucca and red yucca. A walled courtyard terrace provides a pleasant westerly valley view. A large elm and pear tree provide nice shade within the courtyard. Pops of color are provided by various rose shrubs planted in ground and in pots.
John is an avid wildlife and nature photographer. His landscape provides the perfect studio to capture seasonal blooms, birds and small mammals taking a respite in this wildlife friendly garden.
Education: Valle de Oro Backyard Refuge representative
