As you come around the back corner of Monique and Ron Therrien’s home
in Hanmer, you immediately get the feeling of being transported to a
Secret Garden....totally unaware of neighbours or noise that may surround
you. This compact, three year old, maintenance free yard packs a big
punch. It holds everything that one could possibly want in a
backyard...beautiful deck with a large patio set for dining, a lovely
covered swing, and all situated beside their wonderful waterfall and pond
which is home to 3 goldfish and 2 koi. The quaint gazebo offers many hours
of carefree relaxation away from those pesky mosquitoes that are known to
harass us northerners from time to time. They even have a chimnea where
they can roast marshmallows in the evening. Being the first to admit they
knew nothing about plants, the Therriens visited a local nursery where a
planting design was sketched out for them.
Monique says she could sit on the swing and read all day just listening
to the sounds of the water, totally forgetting the time. In fact, a swing
and pond were the two items that Monique wanted in a backyard when they
went to a Landscape Architect who drew up their plans. With plans in hand,
they did all the work themselves, although Monique does admit to playing
the part of Supervisor more than actually doing the work.
The beautiful carved sun you see in the above picture, was carved by
Ron himself. He’s dabbled in carving for over 20 years, but for the last
6 years it’s become a serious hobby, even taking him to a Master Carver
in Quebec one week a year to bone up on his craft. The wood of Ron’s
choice is Red Cedar from British Columbia. His heated workshop is also the
winter home for their pond fish, which live quite happily in a 60 gallon
aquarium.
This yard is a real gem in the heart of Valley East!
