October 2026 honoree
Clinton Kemp and Michael O’Teter
Resident since 2008
5407 Maple Springs Blvd
The Maple Springs Neighborhood Association’s Garden Club is happy to announce its recipients for our October “Yard of the Month”. It goes to Clinton Kemp and Michael O’Teter who have lived at 5407 Maple Springs Blvd since 2008. Clinton has a BFA in Advertising Design and has been self-employed in the printing, marketing and promotional products industries for 35 years. Michael has a Masters in Social Work and is Chief Program Officer for Big Brothers Big Sisters Lone Star.
Because a garden is always a work in progress and a place of great potential.
Finding the Right Lawn for the Shade
The first thing you notice about their home is the thick, green St Augustine lawn. What’s more amazing is that it thrives in full shade, always a notable challenge. After much research, they found a variety of St Augustine called Palmetto, known for its exceptional shade tolerance. Before installing the sod, they amended the soil with a layer of compost. In the fall and spring they apply an all-nitrogen fertilizer, using a mixture of fast release for greening and slow release for sustained growth. Clinton learned from reading gardening expert Neil Sperry’s blog, that the clay soils in our area almost always just need nitrogen.
A Garden Built Together
Their gardens have the same kind of research and care that rewards their hard work. While they each have their strengths, they love working together and take great pride in the outcome. Clinton lends his knowledge of design, but it is always a collaborative effort. Mike on the other hand enjoys getting his hands dirty and does most of the labor. Clinton said, “for that reason, Mike deserves the most credit for how good it looks”.
Starting From the Ground Up
When they purchased their home it was completely devoid of any plants, shrubs or grass. So, after thorough research, Clinton came up with a plan that began with amending the clay soil in the garden beds with expanded shale. Next came choosing the right plants for the mostly shady yard. Some of their favorite perennials include Japanese Aralia and Variegated Japanese Pittosporum shrubs. They regularly use annuals like light green leaf begonias and Panola pansies (a cross between a pansy and a viola) for spring-summer and fall-winter color, respectively.
The Year-Round Work of a Garden
Both Mike and Clinton feel the key to a successful garden is dedication. If you miss one freeze, you lose. It’s a year-round commitment. There’s not a lot of money to spend on gardening, so they repurpose and reuse the plants they have. Some plants marketed as annuals can actually become perennials if care is taken to overwinter them. Mike does just that with the begonias he removes each fall to protect and then replants in the spring.
Growing More Than a Garden
All this work brings them great joy and contentment. They feel it’s important to take care of what you have and to do what you can to give back to the neighborhood. Mike believes when we all take care of our yards, it inspires others to do what they can to improve our community. Both feel the Garden Club fosters that sentiment. They plan to continue caring and learning along the way. Because a garden is always a work in progress and a place of great potential.
Yard of the Month is sponsored by North Haven Gardens.
