Gayest House on Ross Avenue!
Todd Smith and Guinn Powell • 5942 Ross Ave.

We bought our Lower Greenville Avenue home in old east Dallas in 2000. We had just gotten engaged and I was moving in. Before then it was a rent house that Guinn had lived in for about eight years. It needed lots of work and of course the yard was dismal.

As part of my move from Oak Cliff I sketched out a simple landscape plan for our new home and started digging up plants from my old yard.

Favorites: Lenten rose, Acanthus, Mexican sage, Oak-leaf hydrangea, Miniature orange tree

Moved: Cenezio, Nandina nanas, Ajuga, Lantana, Phlox, Cherry sage, Mealy blue sage, Dusty Miller, Penstemon, Hummingbird bush, White spider lilies, Ox-eye daisy

Small trees, shrubs, perennials, ground covers—I could not just leave all my plants when our new home needed so much. I even brought my fishpond. I know to many this sounds extreme but for me it was quite natural.

I grew up in a resourceful family that put a lot of pride into their yard. My parents won "Yard of the Week" for the entire city of Plano, back in the 70’s. We lived on a creek lot and they had built beautiful walkways and terraces all the way down to the water. It’s still as showplace today.

I’ve since gone on to major in horticulture and landscaping at Richland College. During the ‘80s I landscaped professionally and when I came out as gay in the ‘90s I became a floral designer. Now I’m an Account Executive for a graphic design business with my husband Guinn and only garden as a hobby.

Gardening has always been kind of a spiritual thing for me.

I get a grounded, satisfied feeling working in the yard and seeing the fruits of my labor come to life. I also take a lot of pride in making this little patch of land so beautiful. This comes easily for me and I enjoy sharing that with others.

We live on a busy street with many rental properties as neighbors, but our home has become a tranquil oasis for us. Out front we planted trees and flowers plus built an ornamental low rail fence to give us a little separation from the street. Recently a lesbian couple bought a house down the street. They are fixing it up pretty and may be trying to take our title.

Natives: Mealy blue sage, Pavonia, Purple cone flower, Blackfoot daisy, Mexican buckeye, Rusty haw viburnum, Sweet autumn clematis, Phlox, Coreopsis, Black-eyed Susans, Rain lilies, American beauty bush, Coral berry

A few years ago we remodeled our house. We considered building on an addition because we needed more living space. Since we really didn't have the budget for that we opted for turning our backyard into an outdoor living area.

Dallas Basics: Hollies, Nandina, Fatsia, Wood ferns, Japanese maples, Acuba , Ivy



Old Fashioned: Peonies, Saucer magnolia, Daylilies, Snowball viburnum, Forsythia, Climbing rose, Lycoris, Coral honeysuckle

Shared: Turk’s cap, Pavonia, Purple jew, Lamb’s ear, Yarrow, Nandina, Wax myrtle, Pond plants, Aspidistra, Lantana I’ve Stolen: Horsetail reed, Aloes, Euonymus ground cover, Sedum

Again I drew up a simple plan that included a deck, bigger fishpond, a garden seating area, hammock, privacy fence,

more flower beds and smaller lawn area. My brother is a professional fence and deck builder and I assisted him in the construction. Then I dug, built, and poured the concrete for the pond and walks. The finishing touch were plants and furniture. It was a lot of work, but now that it is done, we love it.
I've Stolen: Horsetail reed, Aloes, Euonymus ground cover, Sedum


Daily we spend time enjoying our private oasis. Whether it’s lunch out on the deck or just a few minutes with coffee to start the day, our yard now gives so much back on our investment. My gardening taste and style continues to evolve over the years It's an eclectic mix of what works well, what’s smart and what is fun. Low maintenance, low impact, low budget — Dallas tried and trues; natives and xeriscape; old-fashion and tough plants; I don’t do bed prep! Well-planned and useful spaces — walks, patios, seating areas invite us into the garden and to become part of it. Build it and they will come. Add color and life — use a bird feeder as a focal point, add plants that bear fruit or nectar to attract wildlife, put in a pond or water feature, then sit back and watch the show.

Want to dig a pond? Interested in Natives? Got shade solutions? If you’d like to swap stories, plants, and/ or ideas, I can be reached at toddsmith@Rmangraphics.com or 214-824-2601