YOUR BEAUTIFUL HOME

Dave and Sandy Graf love the outdoors. So, when they built their home in Hauser, Idaho, three years ago, they decided to keep things as close to nature as possible.

“We wanted our landscaping to transition into the natural beauty,” Sandy Graf said.

The Grafs kept plenty of the tall pines and firs that surround their heavily wooded property. A winding footpath leads to the front door, and red and green Japanese maples add color. Clematis climbs an arbor against the house.

Terracotta-colored pavers form a pathway to the back. The sound of running water invites visitors to wander through a cedar arbor where pea gravel pathways surround three beautiful koi ponds.

The Grafs have found the ponds addicting. “We started with one,” said Sandy. “But we both get our favorite fish. You can only have so many fish per pond, so we had to make more ponds.”A charming footbridge, built by Dave Graf, arches over a meandering stream connecting two of the ponds, and a small waterfall gently cascades into a pool. Tall cattails perch along the edge. Sandy Graf potted them and then lowered the pot into the pond.

Dave built a cedar pergola over the patio, and wisteria is just beginning to climb it. A dazzling Red Sunset maple brightens the greens, golds and browns of the natural surroundings.

A path leads to an iron-rimmed fire pit in the back of the property, where guests can gather and roast marshmallows after a barbecue on the patio.

The Grafs enjoy the wildlife that ventures into their yard from the wooded acreage. Woodpeckers, chickadees and jays enjoy their trees, and moose and deer have used their koi ponds as watering holes. These guests are welcome, until they start munching on the Grafs’ new plants.

The couple finds gardening therapeutic and good exercise. “It’s very relaxing and quiet out here,” Sandy said. “When I’m driving home from work, I feel myself relax when I get into the trees.”