Rawlinson Family's Perennial Paradise a Perfect Pick for Season's First Yard of the Week

Annette Rawlinson (pictured here) has dedicated her talent as a gardener to beautifying her family's yard. People young and old have enjoyed its splendor over time.

The Payson Chronicle is pleased to announce the first Yard of the Week winner for 2012, the Annette and Doug Rawlinson home at 643 East 600 North in Payson. It is a perennial paradise in both front and back yards, a place of gardens, fountains and flowers, and a place where a child's imagination is free to roam. It is also a popular space enjoyed by neighbors near and far, many of whom nominated the yard for the honor not long after the campaign started.

Doug and Annette Rawlinson moved into the home in 1985 and molded space in sections over time. The bulk of the landscape change has come through Annette's labor and creativity. Contributing to the effort were the couples six children, David, Sadie, Becky, Diana, Caren, and Paige, the youngest, who graduated from Salem Hills High School last week. Each was allotted a plot designed to continue in growth long after they left home.

Peonies, roses, painted daisies, and ladies mantle, are among the hundreds of flower species in bloom each season. Trees include golden rain tree, maples, purple ash, and some fruit-bearing, like plumb, cherries, peach, apple, and pear. An herb garden lines the entrance to the backyard splendor, from which garlic, parsley, thyme, chives, and oregano grow. Near to it is a vegetable garden that is just now taking hold for the season, with peas nearly ready for picking. Veggies, in fact, were among the first to find a home on the Rawlinson property when the family moved there decades ago, Annette said.

The Rawlinsons' six grand-kids have dubbed the back yard Grandma's Playground, noted Annette. But it has not only been the youngest who have found themselves enchanted by the lovely mystique. There are secret gardens, spots that are no doubt in the memories of the people who have passed their way. The yard has served as state for aspiring, young fairies and Harry Potters to play in fantasy, and has played host to weddings, celebration, and for some, respite, and a space to breathe in peaceful serenity.

Poppies in bloom in the backyard of the Rawlinson home in Payson.

A serene garden scene is the result of plots planted incrementally over the years, through efforts led by Annette Rawlinson (pictured above) and contributed to by Rawlinson family members.

Thanks to the following Yard of the Week sponsors:

Behling Insurance: www.behlingins.cc
Hanks Signs: HanksSigns.com

Nominate your pick for 
Yard of the Week at
paysonchronicle@gmail.com