IRONTON  — Since there were eight outstanding nominations for Ironton in Bloom’s Yard of the Month Award for August, judges found it extremely hard to choose just one winner and finally agreed to split the award between two homes.

Joe and Sarah Dressel, of 2310 S. Ninth St., were one of the honorees. Joe works in anesthesia at King’s Daughters Medical Center. Sarah enjoys staying at home to care for the children, Zane and Lanney, and working in her yard that is small, but every inch a showplace.

It features a variety of shrubbery and multicolored impatiens so bright judges said they could spot them from two blocks away.

Sue Blagg, 2323 S. 10th St., does all her own yard work and has won the IIB in a previous year’s contest.

Keeping to a pink color-scheme throughout her large corner lot, she says folks stop often and ask about her pink-blooming Mandalay begonias she brought from Columbus. She left them in their original pots and placed them along her front fence where they have bloomed profusely all summer, with minimal care.

Ironton In Bloom’s last award for the season will be given in September when judges will be looking at both plantings and fall decorations.

If you would like to enter your yard or that of a neighbor, e-mail its address to irontoninbloom@zoominternet.net or send it to Ironton In Bloom, P.O. Box 4599 by Sept. 15.