The only hint of the fantastic garden behind Randy and Sharon Miceks South Hill house was the pink Knockout roses lining the curb. The real treat was behind an Asian style gate that opened onto the perfect place to be after a hot summer day. The perfect garden to win the June Garden of the Month contest.

Randy opened the gate and led us down a narrow stone path lined with leafy perennials and peonies. The heat of the afternoon disappeared. A few more steps and we were standing at the edge of a luscious series of garden rooms full of color and begging to be walked through.

Even though Sharon told me she wasn’t really a gardener, her ability to blend perennials so that there is something blooming in the garden all through the season is amazing. Randy loves building projects. Maybe it was the years they spent at Priest Lake running the Reeder Bay Bed and Breakfast and Herb Farm but by the looks of their garden here, they both have some talent.

When the Miceks first moved in six years ago, the garden was nothing but ivy, a couple of pine trees and an ugly sport court in the middle of the backyard. The ivy was a challenge to beat back. The sport court disappeared. With a clean slate they began to create.

In keeping with their Asian theme, Randy built a small teahouse under the shade of a large fir. It looks out onto a large bed of peonies, rhododendrons and shade perennials. A small basalt water feature splashes sound gently through the garden.

In the center of the yard where they get the most sun, the Miceks have created two perennial beds both bordered by boxwood hedges. Inside the hedges, they planted a wide variety of roses, towering delphiniums, day lilies, ground covers, evergreens and Japanese maples. The hedges add a formal frame to the more causal perennials. Large pieces of pottery add structure and subtle color that brightens the perennial colors.

The borders of the yard are shady and are the perfect place for hostas, Japanese lady ferns, rhododendrons and small Japanese maples. The many shades of green and silver make the border colorful in their own way. In one corner close to some dense arborvitae is a folk art St. Francis looking out for the birds that are everywhere in the garden.

The last room in the garden is a covered outdoor living room complete with a fireplace, comfy chairs, a barbecue and a formal dining table. The Miceks spend a lot of time here in the evening just enjoying the views of the garden. With the fireplace, they said they can be outdoors comfortably until the end of October.

The Garden of the Month contest is sponsored by the Inland Empire Gardeners and runs June through September each year. Applications for the contest are available at the TIEG website; tieg.org/garden-of- the-month/. Deadline for is the 15th of each month. Gardens must be in Spokane County.