“Before the project, the back yard was basically just grass and maybe a bush here and there,” Howe says. “The client came from a farming family, so being close to nature was very important to her.”
In the midst of the hustle and bustle of a thriving Columbus suburb, nature’s beauty can often be overlooked.
However, for one Tri-Village home, bringing nature back to the neighborhood was the most important part of a recent project in collaboration with the Cleary Company and GreenScapes.
The Cleary Company began work on the interior of the home with the intention of making nature accessible, regardless of weather conditions. By converting a small covered patio into a room that now has Florida windows on all sides, anyone in the room can feel immersed in the outdoors.
“The homeowner wanted to open the house up and bring nature in,” says April Howe, marketing manager at the Cleary Company. “The Florida windows were built using OrniLux glass, which is used to protect birds from flying into them.”
Marc Aubry and the GreenScapes team then stepped in to enhance the natural elements of the backyard.
“The goal was to have the interior changes flow seamlessly into the outside spaces,” says Aubry.
With the intention of attracting wildlife, the lawn space that previously dominated the back yard was converted into a garden. In addition to adding two small water features, the majority of the plants used in the project were chosen for the sole purpose of attracting birds, butterflies and bees.
The new backyard space invites wildlife and guests alike. A wooden structure, which houses a masonry fireplace, provides the quintessential space to entertain guests during all times of the year.
Rocco Falleti is an assistant editor. Feedback welcome at rfalleti@cityscenecolumbus.com.
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“Even being on that busy corner, you really don’t feel like you are in the middle of a suburban neighborhood,” Howe says. “It is just very peaceful.”
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The pergola was designed and built by the Cleary Company, while the masonry fireplace was the work of Marc Aubry’s team at GreenScapes.
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“Everything from the inside to the outside is low maintenance and is easy for the homeowner to keep up with,” Howe says.
