Back in 1988, when Bo and Sukey Brown bought their circa 1942 home in Southwestern Ohio, the back yard was great for the four kids, ages 12, 10, 8, and 5. There was enough space to play soccer and any other game the Brown gang and their friends could dream up. But the back yard was also mostly flat, definitely dull, and visible on all sides.
As the kids grew and left home, Bo and Sukey began a landscape design transformation that took the back yard from “kid space” to a lush, verdant, multi-leveled private retreat.
It’s also difficult not to be jealous. The Browns’ retreat features a cascading waterfall and running brook, settings to gather, places to relax, and foliage and pastel flowers that rustle gently in the breeze as you walk along a curving pathway.
But, unlike some other fabulous spaces, this was not a one-time project. The Browns’ back yard has slowly evolved one glorious addition at a time.
“We replaced the lawn in 1990 and ripped up the horrible honeysuckle and some locust trees,” says Sukey. “We didn’t do anything else until about 16 years ago when Bo announced he wanted a fireplace in the back yard. Keep in mind that while fireplaces are more common now, they sure weren’t back then.”
The 11-foot-tall wood-burning stone fireplace that the Browns had built, and the surrounding patio space, was soon accented with lattice fencing to create a splendid sitting area. The Browns started adding some trees and plants around the back yard.
In 2005, the couple was at a home show and Bo really liked a waterfall he saw on display and wanted it for the Brown back yard. Sukey was a bit reluctant, she confesses, especially when she saw the 14 yards of soil that arrived at their yard to create a slope for the waterfall to cascade.
The waterfall and running brook are built out of Pennsylvania creek stone, giving each water feature a natural look and sound. The waterfall measures 12-feet wide by 5-feet tall, creating a perfect finishing touch to the fireplace and patio. The running brook creates a nice focal point near the outdoor dining area. Both features use recycled water.
Sukey soon fell in love with these magnificent additions to the backyard space. “We can see and hear the water from the balcony of our bedroom,” she says. “At night I love leaving the windows open to hear the water while we’re falling asleep.”
The Browns continued adding pine trees, creating privacy to the backyard space. Other bushes and greenery of varying height have been added, along with a low stone wall here and there. It’s such a secluded, multi-faceted area that the hot tub that was added recently is so hidden, it usually goes unnoticed by a visitor. For a dining area, a custom table of Brazilian hardwood was commissioned by the Browns. Wider in the middle and narrower at the ends in the “boat shape” design, the table is surrounded by chairs of mesh and aluminum. “We like to sail and I think these chairs bring a nautical look while complementing the table,” Sukey says.
Paths surrounded by pea gravel were included to connect the outdoor areas. Timers and lights were added to areas, including the water features.
“Gypsy Dancer,” a rusted steel sculpture by Mark A. Wallis, a Tucson, Arizona, artist is positioned for best effect. The top portion of this gypsy spins merrily in the wind.
Sukey is still transforming some of the plants in her back yard. “Basically, I’m getting rid of the annuals. They are such a pain, especially when we go out of town and have to ask others to water them,” she says. “Perennials and ground cover are suiting us better these days.”
The back yard might have been the scene of soccer games in decades gone by, but now Sukey and Bo have a private, lush retreat that’s a darn good space for the couple to just to sit and relax, or a fabulous setting for a small or even substantial party.
It is no wonder that whenever the Browns have people over, everyone wants to go outside. “Honest, we have sat in the rain with golf umbrellas, drinking wine by the fireplace,” Sukey laughs. “We really are out here year ‘round.”
Sukey says this is their forever house and she is very pleased with the landscape design that has created a space just right for empty nesters who are parents of four and grandparents of five.
Besides replacing annuals with perennials, are the Browns finished with their backyard space? “What I’d like to have next is a 4-foot-deep saltwater pool, about 8×16-feet,” Sukey shares. “We have some space for it.