The flowers in the garden beds are beautiful, but it’s the flowers painted on the lawn that get noticed first at the home of Karen and Bernie Farrell of 78 Brunswick, Lancaster.
The flowers were painted by Karen, who has started her own business called Lawntastic, where she does custom painting on lawns.
Their front yard was on display during the eighth annual Lancaster Garden Walk on Saturday and Sunday, July 16 and 17. 
Karen got the idea for her business when she was visiting her brother in Phoenix. There was a piece on TV about an artist, and she saw something on the lawn. That sparked a thought: “Wouldn’t it be nice to paint on the grass?”
She did some research and found paints that are used on sports fields and are safe for the grass. Rain won’t wash the image away, but it will fade as you mow.
Karen often gets asked if she can paint on snow, and the answer is, unfortunately, no. She would leave footprints in the snow as she worked, which would take away from the design. There are many different types of snow, too, which would be challenging. She said she’ll look into it more.
The landscaping at the Farrells’ has evolved over 25 years. When they moved in, the front had some evergreen bushes and was dated.
The Farrells added the raised bed, which provides a seat for them in the photo above right. Behind the Farrells, obscured by the orange cosmos, is an artistic metal fence that affords privacy for a patio area leading to the porch.
When Karen started gardening, she noticed that she would have color in her garden for a few weeks, then there would be a lull, so she chose plants to ensure a longer period of color.
“I’m learning as I go,” she said.
Here are some tips from Karen for creating a garden with a longer blooming period:
- Peonies bloom early.
- Lilies have a long bloom time.
- Geraniums are so hardy.
- Black-eyed Susans are starting to bloom now.
- Clematis, like the purple one on the mail box in the photo above left, is showy. Sometimes Karen’s blooms twice. This year, it seems to be blooming longer.
- Annuals, such as the bachelor’s buttons in the photo at right, also add color. She started some from seed this year.
While the Farrells have a huge backyard with a deck, they spend most of their time relaxing in front.
“It’s the porch,” Karen said. “We love sitting on the porch.”
A pair of hammock-like seats provide comfortable seating. A vine climbs up the wall and across the ceiling, creating a shady retreat.
Jackie, I bet that the paint you use is similar to what I use. I guess they have to be as neither one is killing anything! Seriously though, I have to buy in bulk, and I think that the cans are a bit bigger. The colors tend to be quite bright, and don’t seem to be like natures’ colors. Thank you for the compliment! STAY COOL! Karen
What a brilliant idea! I have already been painting the dried allium flowerheads to keep the color going but this is over the top. I use florist spray paint available in most craft stores. Karen, do you use something different? I’d love to know. Thanks for sharing the beauty of your garden!
Fabulous!