For Gary and Melissa Hardesty, home is more than just a place to live—it’s a space to enjoy, nurture, and share. After 10 years in Chateau Elan, the couple moved to their new home in Brookstone just a year and a half ago. Since then, their yard has blossomed into a simple yet striking example of thoughtful landscaping.

From the street, the Hardestys’ home greets passersby with a colorful mix of flowers and an assortment of trees chosen for their unique shapes, sizes, and seasonal beauty. The design, created in collaboration with Heidi from Lady Landscape, brings both structure and charm. Heidi’s plant choices are known for their individuality, giving each home she designs its own special touch. Lady Landscape’s placement of the landscape lighting highlights the plants and accent rocks, ensuring the garden’s beauty shines both day and night.

One of the most distinctive features is a collection of rock formations. A large signature stone anchors the main garden beds in both the front and back yards, with flowers growing naturally around it. The pairing of stone and plant life creates a balanced, organic feel—beautiful in daylight and equally magical when the landscape lighting comes on at night.

Life in the Hardestys’ garden wouldn’t be complete without their two calico cats, Frisky and Patches. Frisky can often be found exploring the plant beds, ready to greet anyone walking by, while Patches prefers to enjoy the view from her cozy spot on the back porch.

The Hardestys love the Brookstone area for its quiet streets and friendly neighbors, and their evolving garden reflects that sense of peace and welcome. Season after season, it’s a space where nature, design, and home come together—just as Gary and Melissa envisioned.