“I did it my way”: America’s most original backyards

The United States was built by free thinkers and hard workers; a diverse lot who loved their freedom and had their own fresh ideas about what a new country could be. That same spirit lives on today, with many homeowners giving their creativity and independence free rein out back. 

Check out some of the most diverse and singular ways we Americans have personalized our properties. And let us know if we should shine a spotlight on yours; post a photo and tag @scottsmiracelgro on Instagram.  

Imagine an array of 500 structures — houses, forts, bridges, castles, and more — all built by one set of hands. That’s what you’ll find at Springfield, Ohio’s Hartman Rock Garden. It dates to the Great Depression, when Ben Hartman, who was newly out of work but not out of ideas, began building with rocks and pebbles in his backyard. Equal parts art project and architecture, it shows what a solid work ethic can achieve.

Many Americans plant some greenery in their yards to honor a loved one who’s passed; Chris Barbee, of Nowata, Oklahoma, found a different way to mark the passing of his wife Amy. First he decorated a fence with a few bowling balls that had belonged to her. Then Barbee kept going, transforming some 3,000 balls (many donated from fans across the country) into a Newton’s Cradle, an iconic American flag, and assorted animal statuary, among other sculptures.

Decluttering expert Marie Kondo might not give the thumbs-up to Vince Hannemann, who, rather than toss broken or otherwise useless stuff, turned it into a multilevel monument. Known as the Cathedral of Junk, it does bring joy, both to Hannemann and the tourists that flock to his Austin, Texas, yard. They gather to gawk, selfie, and (yes) enter the structure comprised of furniture, electronics, decor, et al — 60-plus tons of it — that towers toward the heavens. Can we get can an “amen”?

Maybe they’re archeology buffs. Maybe they’re in a Spinal Tap cover band. Either way, the owners of this Placitas, New Mexico, property erected an impressive replica of Stonehenge in their backyard. It’s a singular vision, and we’re here for it.

Creative yards aren’t just for those with acreage. City dwellers David Puchkoff and Eileen Stukane of NYC show how it’s done: They DIY’d their rooftop terrace into a 1,200-square-foot meadow planted with thousands of sedum plants. Then they installed a “front porch" to take in the view. A form-meets-function bonus: The green roof insulates the six-story building from summer heat and winter cold.

The U.S.A. is a melting pot with global influences everywhere. A horticultural expression of this? A Memphis-area yard that’s an ode to the Japanese maple. More than 100 cultivars thrive on Danna and Jody Walker’s property; their four acres are awash with delicate, lacy foliage in shades of green and garnet. The project started over 20 years ago, when the couple scored a few cultivars for $10 a pop. Today, they are always hunting for new additions for their ever-evolving, Eastern-influenced garden.

In America, our homes are our castles, and sometimes those castles come with their very own waterpark. One Texas home has a 750,000-gallon pool that could rival any resort, with its three water slides, a zip line for the ultimate cannonball, and a lazy river that sends riders plunging into an underground abyss filled with animatronic monsters. Something similar can be yours for about $10 million — or you could just hose down that Slip ’N Slide.

Sure, backyard roller coasters have become a bit of a thing now that kits are available, but for good old-fashioned ingenuity plus sustainability, we’ve got to hand it to Dude Dad (AKA Taylor Calmus of Fort Collins, Colorado). He brought his personal scream dream to fruition using scrap wood for tracks. He bent the pipes that form the ride’s hills in a turkey cooker full of boiling water. And as for the car you ride in? It’s recycling bin, of course.