The blue structure is the neighbor’s garage, which was rebuilt after a fire. The heat from the burning garage melted plastic furniture on the Palgutts’ patio, ruining the patio. Here you see the rebuilt patio and fences. Photo by Connie Oswald Stofko
by Connie Oswald Stofko
“You rebuild, and rebuild better,” said Krista Palgutt, whose landscape was damaged when their neighbor’s garage burned down.
The back of the Palgutts’ house was charred. The patio, which they had just installed the previous year, had to be redone because the plastic furniture melted onto the patio.
“But all the perennials came back,” Palgutt said, “except for the old growth hydrangeas.”
No one was hurt in the fire, and I saw how their landscape made a comeback when I visited the family at their Hudson Street home last year during Garden Walk Buffalo.
This year’s Garden Walk Buffalo takes place this weekend. To celebrate its 25th anniversary, there new things to check out. See what’s new here.
The yard isn’t huge, but Bob and Krista Palgutt have enough room for a play area for their kids, Louisa and Archer. To the right, deep garden beds line the fence. Photo by Connie Oswald Stofko
Here’s a view from the garden beds along the fence. A raised bed for vegetables is in a sunnier spot on what was once a driveway. Photo by Connie Oswald Stofko
A storage shed is built against the back of the house. The wide opening allows easy access to items. When you want to hide the clutter, just close the blind. Photo by Connie Oswald Stofko
A raised bed to the left of the front steps provides an area for plants. Here’s another tip from Krista Palgutt: “Start small. You don’t have to know everything. You can learn a couple names of plants every year. Keep learning.” Photo by Connie Oswald Stofko