Marathon Garden Club’s Great White Heron Award Goes To Wolfe Center/Bonefish Storage

Congratulations to Karen and John Wolfe and their children Joy and Alex, recipients of the Garden Club’s GREAT WHITE HERON AWARD which is given to local businesses that enhance and improve the street appeal of their property. Their business is located at 12703 Overseas Highway in Marathon. The traveling award focuses on property owners who have beautified the landscape along US Route 1, a national scenic highway.

When the Wolfe family purchased the property in 1998, the front of the building had minimal landscaping consisting of large rocks on pea gravel and an 18th century cannon. Now, existing objects and rocks have been placed in an undulating line which permits the viewer to see the design in its entirety. The large variegated leaves of the agave century plant give impact to the center. Smaller bromeliads of green and red provide contrast. The entire landscape is healthy and nourished by rain. No irrigation is needed!

Congratulations from the Marathon Garden Club to the Wolfes for adding to the beauty of our community.

Photos by Natalie Danko

Barbara and Butch Hewlett have received the Great White Heron Award given by the Marathon Garden Club. They have lived in Marathon with their two children, Butchie and Kiki for years. In 2005 Barbara began to develop the Mid Key Sand and Rock company, located gulf side near the Vaca Cut Bridge at 11990 Overseas Highway in Marathon.  At first the open storage area containing sand, gravel and large rocks was a design challenge.  Piles were placed where ever they were dumped.  Now tidy concrete block squares define specific types of sand and stone.  A Gray Buttonwood hedge intersected with Christmas Palms surrounds the space and separates it from the highway.  A Mahogany tree graces and provides shade along the fence.

Three years ago Barbara hired a Manager named Henry Coffelt.  He has spent most of his career working in the concrete business and knows what customers need to complete their jobs.  Henry provides free estimates, makes suggestions about products and works with contractors and landscapers who are completing properties.  “Squeak,” a heavy equipment operator is proficient driving a bobcat, backhoe, bulldozer and dump trucks.

John Kornetti helped to design the layout, provides lawn care and keeps the yard’s landscape attractive and neat.   Barbara expresses her thanks to these individuals who help to make her location and company an asset to the community.

The Great White Heron Award has a long history in Marathon.  It was initiated by a group of citizens in the late 1970s who passed it to the Marathon Garden Club in 1984.  This award is given to businesses, organizations and churches along the US Route 1 Corridor who improve their properties with landscaping, painting and other methods.  It is surprising sometimes how little it takes to improve curb appeal.  A tidy welcoming frontage can give Marathon an appearance of a cared for and prosperous town.

The Marathon Garden Club has chosen The Turtle Hospital to receive the Great White Heron Award. This traveling award is presented periodically throughout the year to recognize area businesses, churches, tourist accommodations and other organizations who participate in beautification projects along US 1 between the Seven Mile Bridge and Conch Key. Pictured are Garden Club Award Chair Judy Shaw with Bruce Squier who designed and planted the new landscaping.