By By ERIKA PICKLES / Niles Daily Star
NILES -Pauline Lawson enjoys everything about her flower garden.
"I love the beautiful purple glads. And the hummingbirds. Oh they are so fun to watch. I also like watching the butterflies, canaries, cardinals and the robins," she said.
However, Pauline has been unable to tend to her garden for quite some time and instead enjoys the beauty of it through glass doors.
Seven years ago, Pauline fell and has been unable to walk since. Knowing she loved flowers and nature itself, her son, Herman, thought he would do something special for his mother and he created a flower garden right outside of her bedroom doors.
"I knew she had to have something outside her window to look at, so I planted all of this," Herman said as he described the different varieties of annuals.
The flowers range from lilies and cone flowers to mums and black-eyed Susans, along with a number of other colorful plants. Bird houses line the garden, as well as a bird bath, where an antique statue of Mary sits with her arms wide open.
"It's so neat. She looks like she is crying. I found her at an old antique shop," Herman, who used to sell antiques himself, said.
"He's done all of this for me to enjoy and I really appreciate everything. It's like a paradise of flowers and he does such a wonderful job at taking care of everything," Pauline said.
Herman's Rosa Sharons fill the front yard with color, as white, light pink and dark pink flowers were perfectly bloomed. Indian grass and milk weeds are also a nice feature.
"The monarch butterflies really like the milk weeds, so we keep them here for them" he said.
He also has a vegetable garden, which features zucchini, cucumbers and roma, yellow and beef steak tomatoes.
"The beef steaks haven't done too well this year because of the weather," he explained.
Herman seemed to enjoy his hibiscus plants and the lilies, which are featured all around the yard.
"I got some of the hibiscus from Oregon. I also sent some of the hibiscus seeds to a friend of mine who lives in Long Island. She said they are doing fantastic there," Herman said.
Peach trees and a blooming crab apple tree provide shade for some of the flowers.
The two are happy to share their beauty and love for gardening with others, as they gladly send their vegetables and flowers home with those who visit.
"I just really enjoy doing this. It adds beauty to your yard and I know Mom appreciates it. I take care of her 24 hours a day and when I'm not with her, I'm outside tending to the flowers," Herman said.
"It's all so beautiful. I could watch the birds and look at the flowers for hours. He really has done an excellent job," Pauline added.