by Grace Rabano, Clermont Garden Club
With the recent winter freezes, everyone’s garden is probably struggling now to get back to its former glory. The Clermont Garden Club’s clubhouse grounds at 849 West Ave., Clermont is no exception. While we wait for many plants to return (like the hibiscus, jatropha, crotons), we marvel at the resilience of other plants that have bounced back. We are also indebted to the forethought of wise, past club groundskeepers who knew that plant diversification is the key to having a healthy garden at various times throughout the year. For this reason, we have chosen the grounds of the Clermont Garden Club as the Yard of the Month for April 2026.
The front walk of the property at 849 West Ave., Clermont is shaded by a beautiful oak tree. The tree’s sturdy branch is adorned by a large Staghorn fern (Platycerium), which is a unique epiphytic plant known for its antler-like fronds. Rob Farmer, club member Grounds Lead, is credited with wrapping the Staghorn fern during the latest freezing temps and adequately protecting this precious plant. The rest of the garden is sprinkled with various colors from the blue cluster flowers of the Plumbago auriculata, yellow flowers of the African iris (Dietes bicolor), pale purple of flowering plants in the mint family, and the striking pinks and reds of many bromeliads throughout the garden (such as Bromeliad Neoregelia and Aechmea gamosepala, also known as the matchstick bromeliad). The most striking color this time of the year, however, goes to the amaryllis or Barbados lily (Hippeastrum vittatum) which line the north side of the clubhouse leading into the back yard and gazebo. These gorgeous amaryllis plants have trumpet-like blooms of red-orange petals with white center stripes…giving them the appearance of stars.
Clermont Garden Club is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The clubhouse at 849 West Ave., Clermont is available for rental at very reasonable rates. Available for your use during your rental are the clubhouse (complete with table/chairs, kitchen and 2 restrooms), the outdoor paved patio and gazebo on the beautiful garden grounds. If you would like to nominate your or your neighbor’s garden to be the Yard of The Month, send an email to clermontgardenclubinc@gmail.com.
