< Previous130 COASTMONTHLY.COM / August 2018 COASTMONTHLY.COM / August 2018 131A perennial paradiseWith her work cut out for her, a Friendswood gardener transforms a backyardStory by Sue Mayfield Geiger Photos by Kelsey WallingStacey Phillips has had an interest in gardening since she was 3 years old.“My grandmother took me to the nursery with her and I’d point to things and ask, ‘What’s that?’ and ‘What’s that?’ over and over with everything I saw,” she said.That interest never waned.Today, Phillips, who recently earned her Master Gardener certification, finds gratifi-cation in designing and landscaping a bare canvas, such as the Friendswood yard she has spent five years cultivating.“When we bought the house, I knew I had my work cut out for me,” she said. “There were only two live oak trees in the front yard, a few shrubs in the beds and the back-yard was just grass.”Phillips and husband, Paul Drott, knew they wanted a pool, as did Phillips’ young son, Jamie.Phillips picked out all the finishes — glass mosaic wall surrounded by travertine with a spa — and decided on a 7-and-a-half-foot deep end for diving.But what’s a pool without a fireplace?So, she had a 12-foot-tall travertine fire-place built for chilly winter nights.Although the pool and fireplace are backyard focal points, they’re surrounded by distinctive areas full of tropicals, native plants, plumeria nestled between Xanadu philodendrons, pink and white pentas, (Above) Stacey Phillips and Paul Drott enjoy spending time in their Friendswood garden. (Opposite page) Home-stead purple verbena features bright, showy flowers. It grows as a perennial on the upper Texas coast.132 COASTMONTHLY.COM / August 2018Garden Variety(Clockwise from top) A Calamondin tree is grown more for its looks than for its sour fruit, which is not very palatable, Stacey Phillips said. Xanadu philodendrons fill the space behind the pool. Clusters of graffiti lipstick penta flowers add a pop of color to a corner of the garden. COASTMONTHLY.COM / August 2018 133(Clockwise from top) Plants and lounge chairs surround a 12-foot-tall travertine fireplace built for chilly winter nights. Talavera design elements decorate the fencing behind the many plants. Potted succulents of all types can be found throughout the backyard.134 COASTMONTHLY.COM / August 2018and two exotic yellow plumes — Justicia umbrosa — that are native to Brazil. Also of note are bird’s nest ferns and showy nun’s orchids — hooded blossoms that are creamy white outside and amber brown inside with a purple lip.Three tall bottle brush trees hug a back-yard fence providing privacy.Colors of cobalt blue, teal and orange pop out of Talavera pottery, ceramic pots and glazed garden globes, while soothing sounds of wind chimes and wind spinners add a peaceful ambience.A cocoon patio swing chair under the cov-ered patio provides respite for Phillips when she takes a break from gardening.“I’ve actually fallen asleep in that chair on many occasions,” she said.Phillips also made sure her yard would be a haven for pollinators, she said.“I call our yard Perennial Paradise,” she said. “The majority of what I’ve grown here is perennial. The hummingbirds actually came early this year due to the rain, but we were ready for them because of the bottle brush being in full bloom.”The front yard, which Phillips calls the cottage garden, is abloom with black-eyed Susans, Louisiana irises, blue salvia, verbena homestead, purple agapanthus, day lilies and so much more.“We have well over 50 varieties of plants, in both front and backyards, and well over 50 species in pots,” she said.A separate and enclosed gated area to the right of the house is a thriving vegetable garden, where Phillips has outdone herself this year by getting seven to eight gallons of tomatoes off just six plants.Other edibles include peppers, basil, rose-mary, kale, potatoes, onions, chard and carrots.Perhaps they’ve all done so well because of the scenic mural Phillips painted on the interior of the back fence — a tree covered in trailing vines against a vivid blue background.“I call it ‘Jack and the Beanstalk,’ said Phillips, who owns Sunshine Designs, a one-woman landscaping and design service. “I do everything from bringing in the dirt, to placement of plants to offering growing advice.”It is clear that Phillips is in her element and completely absorbed in her newfound passion, which is something she always dreamed of after many years of a career working in the corporate energy sector.“It’s a peaceful place we’ve created here,” said Phillips, who credits her husband for lending a helping hand. “Since we did all this ourselves, it’s a satisfying feeling.” Garden Variety COASTMONTHLY.COM / August 2018 135Experience fun-filled amenities and spacious one- and two-bedroom villas with fully equipped kitchens, private balconies and Gulf views. 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