Sallie Williams, MBA, Baton Rouge REALTOR

YARD OF THE MONTH AWARD FOR AUGUST

18312 Weatherwood Drive

This was a fun experiment. When the homeowner asked if I had driven by during the evening to see the lighted gardens, I had to admit "no" to that, but what a great idea (and truly an experiment) to take night-light photos. First though, I had to figure out how to use the manual adjustments on my camera. With a tripod, and accompanied by a hoard of mosquitoes, I set the f-stop to 16 and let the camera set its own speed. And voila! Some very pretty colors. Gorgeous beds of caladiums and a beautiful yard at the Lake at White Oak. Congratulations to the homeowners.

At the Lake at White Oak, there are two lakes, referred to as the Upper Lake and the Lower Lake. The Upper Lake is the smaller one between Hagerstown Rd and North Shore Drive. The Lower Lake is the larger one, between North Shore Drive and South Shore Drive.

The lakes are a terrific feature of the neighborhood. See all that green on the right of the photo? All of that land, full of trees, belongs in part to subdivision community property, private property, and hunting clubs. The Amite River runs through that area and is navigable, of course, when the water level is high enough. It is a favorite route for boaters to head on down to Fred's Restaurant and Bar. The area surrounding the lakes provides a great place for walking, jogging, biking, fishing, photography, and bird watching. There is also a playground for the kids, or grownups.

The forested area is a habitat for a lot of animal life, too. It's a good idea to drive slowly through the neighborhood at night with a careful watch for deer crossings. And birds, of course, love this protected area.

If you are interested in looking for a home in the Lake at White Oak, you can find a list of homes for sale at www.lakeatwhiteoak.com. Take a peek at photos of Yard of the Month awards. And call me for more information on any of these homes.

Sallie Williams at www.SallieWilliams.com (225)266-3562

6021 Huckleberry Court

The tall oak trees in this yard on a quiet cul-de-sac in the Lake at White Oak provide the house with cool shade and protection from the afternoon sun and a garden for shade-tolerant varieties of plants. The garden in the front yard is full of hostas, ferns, and ivy that provide a green background for flowering plants like begonias, petunias, agapanthus, and indigo. There is a daylily garden along the side of the house that was in full bloom a few weeks ago when the judges toured the neighborhood for an award-winning yard. A huge multi-colored lantana surrounds the mailbox. A few garden statues like the little bunny hiding in the liriope and a squirrel sitting on the side of a birdbath add interesting focal points.

The house itself is typical of the beautiful homes in the Lake at White Oak. Arched walls on the front porch and a brick wall that creates a patio garden make this house special. A large urn with sunflowers greets guests at the front door. Curving gardens accentuate the beauty of this home.

Congratulations to the homeowners. We'll be driving by to get great ideas for our own gardens!!

APRIL 2008

18432 North Lake Shadow Drive

The April yard-of-the-month award has been given to the home and garden at 18432 North Lake Shadow Drive. A finely landscaped yard is highlighted with lantana, indigo, viola, and a variety of green shrubbery. Crape myrtles make an early spreading canopy over a small garden with ceramic pots and a bench. Evidently these crape myrtles were not trimmed back so they provide a fine addition to the spring garden. Congratulations to the homeowners for a well-deserved award.