The love for a beautiful historic home brought Brian and Michelle Kolle to Jefferson from Kansas in 2017. The Jefferson Garden Club yard of the month for August 2026 is the result of their love for gardening at their home at 506 N. Wilson Ave. During the period of 1902-1905, the home was built for Gillam Toliver, a historic figure in Greene County.
The Kolles are fortunate to have a variety of sunny and shady locations around the home opening the opportunity for a variety of plants. Several hosta cultivars and day lilies surround the front of the home’s expansive porch and planters of impatiens welcome visitors by the steps. More hosta varieties and bright petunias are in a bed near the front of the yard. Nearby is a decorative bridge which Brian built in a sunnier location. Balloon flowers in several shades thrive around the bridge with perennial salvia and bright Stella D’Oro daylilies. In the fall, Michelle displays cornstalks and pumpkins by the bridge.
Inside a fenced sunny yard, a Rose of Sharon tree anchors a corner, flanked by coneflowers, gaillardia and hydrangea. The Kolles have constructed a large garage which provides a backdrop for plantings benefiting from a south exposure. A unique tea rose in this area blooms brightly and is aptly named “Ketchup and Mustard” as the blooms are bright red laced with yellow gold.
A Sweet Autumn clematis holds forth on the west fence where is gets plenty of light. Indigo baptisia bushes provide spring blooms and seed pod interest in the fall. Hydrangea bushes add more bloom in this area. Whimsical yard art pieces including to fanciful pigs brought from Texas enhance the plantings.
The Kolles have also built a hot tub gazebo with easy access to their porch. Surrounding the gazebo are numerous pots of bright red petunias. Hibiscus plants are featured on the porch. Along the shady side of the garage and porch are more hosta. They are so happy in that location that they need to be cut back in the summer because of their size. Brian says he prefers perennial plants but annuals are used to add more splashes of color.
