Mary Lou Clymer, a senior designer at Gerten’s, has been designing landscapes for nine years. Her horticultural background and extensive plant knowledge plays an integral role in her landscape design abilities. Her 2010 award winning design includes over 100 varieties of trees, shrubs and perennials. It is not easy to have such a vast amount of plant varieties, yet maintain unity throughout the site. Mary’s award-winning plan proves that with creative design, a stunning and harmonious landscape is possible.
This particular project encompasses an entire residential property in Owatonna. Every element needed to be incorporated including screening the street, the back yard putting green, and the multi-level pond and waterfall. The clients came to the design center with pictures and a layout of the extensive property. They already had a 60’ x 150’ pond installed, but wanted to add more water features. They were avid golfers, and planned on installing a large putting green with moguls. Mary had to take all of the client’s wants, hopes, and dreams, and incorporate them into a comprehensive plan. This plan would guide them through the installation process, giving them all of the information they needed to create their vision.
Starting in the front yard, Mary created site and noise screening from the street. By adding a multi-layered and colorful perennial garden she enhanced the experience when driving into the property. She was dealing with toxic black walnut trees and had to use resistant plants such as hydrangea, pagoda dogwood, viburnum and goat’s beard.
When planning the back yard, it was Mary’s main objective to create a stunning panoramic view from the new porch. The new stone patio included a large existing crab tree that was protected and preserved. Mary created a lush garden surround at the massive lower pond, and then added an upper pond and meandering stream. The babbling sounds from the stream can be heard from all areas of the backyard. Stone patios and pathways crisscross throughout the backyard adding ample opportunity to view every plant in the landscape.
Mary was awarded a Grand Honor Award from the Minnesota Landscape and Nursery Association (MNLA). This prestigious award is the highest honor given by MNLA for landscape design. These awards are only given to projects that exemplify outstanding values and showcase the best work of MNLA. She was also awarded the only Judges Choice award in landscape design.
We weren’t surprised by the attention Mary’s project received. She is an extremely talented designer who is our resident “plant geek”. Mary has been pleasing customers with her extensive knowledge and soft demeanor since the day she started here over seven years ago. She is equally good at designing a simple front entry way as she is a comprehensive master plan.
Mary’s design pulled the entire property together in grand fashion, and to think, she didn’t even visit the site!