Yard of the Month: Blythe Street beauty earns CY yard honor

By Sydney Ashby

Despite its diminutive dimensions, June’s yard of the month is bursting with creativity— and trust me, the photograph does not do 899 Blythe St. justice.

With help from a landscaper, painters and a design/construction expert, who also all happen to be Cooper-Young residents, Kim Halyak has designed a space that is at once inviting and also cozy and tucked away. Raised beds form a border around a winding walkway that holds a wide assortment of shrubs, flowers and plants, including hydrangeas, gardenias, climbing roses, purple salvia, hostas and even a small garden with tomatoes and herbs.

The yard was only completed in February but you can see there is already plenty of growth to be enjoyed. You can sit on the benches that line the raised beds for an eye-level view, or you can perch on the front porch for a different perspective. There also are art installations, including a wind mobile that adds to the relaxing atmosphere of the yard.

When Kim and her husband moved to the house five years ago, she originally had a cottage garden but it became a bit too much to handle, practically obscuring the path that ran through all the flowers. She was able to retain a few items and transplanted them, including a Japanese maple that her children gave her for Mother’s Day in 2011.

Kim said that she and her husband made the decision to move to Cooper-Young because they “loved the strong, actively-involved community spirit, great restaurants, walkability of the neighborhood and energizing vibe we felt every time we came here.”

Please treat yourself by strolling by and be inspired to try something in your own yard. Nothing would make Kim happier.

Thank you to Midtown Nursery for sponsoring Yard of the Month.