CREATING FUNCTIONAL, IDYLLIC BACKYARD ESCAPES
I
t’s summertime, and the living is easy. Especially if you enjoy the great outdoors. And with the year we have had with COVID-19 and the sneaux-pocalypse, everyone is seeking a cure for cabin fever. It’s nice to know the great outdoors is as close as your own backyard.
“We got a trampoline during quarantine to promote spending more time outside,” said Adam Brewer, whose family lives in Twelve Oaks. “And after being cooped up for a week this winter, I was in full depression mode. If I am at home, I am pretty much outside. I think a lot of other people feel the same way.” The Brewers backyard oasis features a swimming pool and an outdoor living room, with a TV mounted over an outdoor fireplace. Their outdoor kitchen includes a grill, a built-in sink, a mini-refrigerator, and an island bar. Brewer said the family has gotten great use out of the space since they built it a couple of years ago. “We are out there literally every day,” he said. “The goal when we built the space was to invite friends and family over. We are hosting three parties out there in one day.”
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JULY 2021
| SBMAG.NET
BY SCOTT ANDERSON
PARADISE Grassroots efforts. Brewer said his yard weathered the winter storm in February. Others were not so fortunate. Many residents have had to start from the ground up to improve their outdoor spaces this summer. Kerry Harris of Harris Custom Lawn Care said his company is backed up serving customers. Demand is high as residents rebound from quarantine and the deep freeze. “I haven’t been able to keep up,” Harris said. “We’re busy doing flower beds, hedge trimming and keeping everything groomed up.” Harris said a few customers are taking advantage of the opportunity to upgrade their landscaping, but many are just trying to get back to what they had. Jody Gaynor at Louisiana Lawn and Sod said the landscaping company also has been busy lately. “So many people were inside their homes last year for the pandemic, and then the freeze happened,” she said. “I think more people want to enjoy their yards and do things close to home. The yard is a gathering place for friends and family and for entertaining.” Once the root problems are addressed, that lush landscape becomes a blank canvas for adding some fun to your private tropical hideaway.
