88-year-old widow finds meaning in her garden

Eighty-eight-year-old longtime Canyon Lake resident Phoebe Barber is proud of her garden. Her amazing garden is not only a passion for her, but an homage to her husband who passed away early last year.

Her garden is home to all sorts of flowers and trees. Some of her favorite plants include the Graham Thomas, a Ponderosa Pine and a Chinese Pistachio tree (which she said was on the cover of the Friday Flyer several years ago).

Phoebe and her husband Don moved to Canyon Lake on June 13, 1989, while the community was still developing. After moving in, she began her garden with the help of her daughter Elaina.

Phoebe’s backyard overlooking the lake. Photos by Ariana Shah

“We started different colors of Iceberg roses and a small Ponderosa Pine,” Phoebe said. “At first, I didn’t think the tree would grow…but after 30 years, it has grown to be gigantic.”

Phoebe and Elaina are nicknamed Frick and Frack as they bonded while working on their garden together.

“I will never forget those days,” Phoebe said. “We still garden together every now and then. I recently just planted another six roses as well.”

Phoebe began gardening in the 1930s at the early age of four.

“My mother and I moved to the City of Orange,” she said. “We were very poor and rented a garage to live in. A neighbor had given me HollyHock seeds to plant. My mother told me that if I watered my seeds, they would grow…and if I talked to them, they would become beautiful.”

Phoebe’s front yard is decorated with flowers and a glamorous water fountain.

She said she followed her mother’s advice and the HollyHocks grew to become very tall and beautiful. Phoebe still follows the instructions of her mother to this day.

Phoebe graduated from the University of California Berkeley in 1954 and earned her bachelor’s degree there. She hoped to become an English or an Arts teacher. However, she said she became too busy as she raised her four children with her first husband.

Years later, Phoebe was reunited with her second husband, Don, at their high school reunion. The pair got married in 1971 and moved to the City of Brea.

“Don and I had visited Canyon Lake in 1982, however, the community wasn’t very developed,” Phoebe said. “But, when we returned in 1989, many more houses had been built and we fell in love with this place.”

The many flowers that are adorned in her garden.

Phoebe and Don had their eye on a specific lot, but it sold before they had the chance to purchase it. Their real estate agent told them to walk up the same street to search for other lots, and they immediately found the lot on which they would build their new home.

Phoebe had the opportunity to design her house. She wanted a house full of windows. She got what she had envisioned. The architect joked that if Phoebe were to add one more window, the house would fall apart.

Just as the pandemic hit last year, Phoebe’s husband died.

“It was a hard time for me then,” she said. “I had neglected my garden for many years before losing Don because I had to always take care of him. Now, I keep myself busy in my garden again. It’s my way of coping and an homage to my Don.”

Phoebe trims her bougainvillea plant.

Phoebe relaxing in her front yard.