IRONTON — Chet and Helen Stallard, at 1616 Thomas St., were honored with Ironton in Bloom’s first Yard of the Month award for 2010.

Since yellow is Helen’s favorite color, she filled her front yard with yellow pansies and yellow tulips this spring.

This caught the eye of Ironton in Bloom yard judges and won the Stallards the first monthly yard award for the 2010 judging season.

Helen, wearing a bright yellow blouse for the photograph, said winning the award is especially exciting since before her recent hip surgery she thought she was going to have to give up gardening altogether.

The surgery was successful and she is back gardening with great joy and enthusiasm. She does the planning and planting while husband Chet does the mowing and trimming. Chet has been a barber in Ashland for 50 years.

To nominate a yard in your neighborhood, e-mail the address to Viviane@ledcorp.org or ccaskey@ilcao.org or mail the address to Ironton In Bloom, P.O. Box 4599, Ironton. Mailed entries must be postmarked by May 12 for next month’s contest.