Neimeyer Garden
The Mary Niemeyer Garden
8041 Belleview
Kansas City, MO
Located just 3 miles from her childhood home, Mary’s garden began about 19 years ago when she purchased her current home and began adding new flower beds to the existing landscape. Mary’s sister-in-law introduced her to Daylilies, but a visit to the local Lenington Daylily Garden was the catalyst to begin collecting in earnest. Her garden now plays host to 350 plus varieties of daylilies. Mary admits to being partial to spiders and UFs and they are well represented here since about 70 of the 350 varieties are spiders or UFs.
A true city space, Mary’s garden is defined by chain link fencing gated on either side of the yard. There are pathways through and around the beds and two decks are situated for optimal viewing of the gardens. Two water fountains supply the soothing sound of water and a large Magnolia tree lends shade to the space and provides the perfect setting for hostas, ferns and coral bells. A trumpet vine adorns her arbor in the back of the garden and attracts hummingbirds while a bird feeding station and birdbath provide a beckoning habitat for song birds, and a perfect backdrop for bird watching, which is a favorite pastime. On the south side of the house outside the fence there is a small raised vegetable bed for tomatoes and peppers and also an area for more flowers.
You’ll find an abundance of companion plants among the many daylilies here. There are seven rose bushes scattered about the garden along with coneflowers, coreopsis, clematis, hostas, ferns, and lavender. There are also burning bushes, red twig dogwoods, boxwoods, and a crape myrtle that amazes Mary by coming back every year. Walking through this garden you will find many older daylilies mixed with the new. They have become favorites because they have held up so well over the years.
Mary is retired from Yellow Roadway after 22 years in the Accounting Department. She lives here with her husband Gary, and with Cosmos the cat. She is active in the community volunteering at the Kaufman Gardens for over 3 years. She is on the Membership Committee for the MoKan Daylily Society and helps with plant cleaning and the two annual daylily sales the club hosts. As you stroll through this charming garden, be sure to meet Cosmos, Mary’s big orange tabby. Cosmos helps with critter control in the garden!