Dream yards
8/6/2025Give 10 people the blank slate of a spacious yard, and you are likely to see those yards evolve into 10 different visions. Some will be a fenced-in oasis for dogs and kids to run, roll and play. Others will have pools and fire pits for summer fun. A few will feature makeshift ballfields, sledding hills, playgrounds and ponds. And some will provide a scenic setting for enjoying sunrises and sunsets. Whatever the vision, area residents share how their outdoor spaces have become their dream yards.
Chad and Alissa Strauss
A lawn for ball
Chad and Alissa Strauss moved to Johnston in July 2008. The couple grew up in West Des Moines but moved to Chicago after college. They returned to Iowa when they were expecting their third child so they could be closer to family.
Nine years ago, the Strausses rebuilt their deck and added a patio and firepit, so the backyard has become the go-to place for entertaining and playing baseball.
“Our neighbors, Dave and Kathy, have been very gracious given the number of home run balls that end up in their backyard and pool.”
They recently added a TV on the deck and have been watching a lot of Cubs games this summer. It has also become a common hangout spot for neighbors in the cul-de-sac — and they have made more s’mores around the fire pit than Chad can count.
“By far, Charlie and his friends are the most frequent users of ‘Wrigley Field,’ but our entire family has enjoyed the yard. We’ve hosted many Fourth of July parties, neighborhood get-togethers, a Cubs celebration after winning the 2016 World Series, countless team celebrations for my kids’ baseball, softball and cross-country wins, and even Henry’s high school graduation in 2024.”
Source: Johnston Living, July 2025; by Ashley Rullestad
Missy and Travis Parton
Waterfall features
When driving up to Missy and Travis Parton’s place in West Des Moines, a large home with an expansive lawn greets visitors.
The Partons moved into the home 19 years ago when Missy was pregnant with their fourth daughter. At the time, the backyard sloped down from their home.
Several years later, they built a walkout patio and then a deck. Finally, they wanted to figure out what to do with the angled yard. They thought a pond might fit in the area.
“We had a kickball field,” she says. “We hosted a lot of family functions. It has a park-like feel to it.”
Travis owns his own lawn work service and construction business and completed most of the outdoor projects. With more than 2 acres to mow, Missy says he doesn’t mind the maintenance.
“He enjoys the 45 minutes to zone out. It doesn’t take too long to mow. The lawn always looks great, and it’s an instant gratification when he’s done,” she explains.
Now that the kids are grown, Travis has been planting fruit trees and raspberry bushes. He also secured two beehives. They have experimented with growing nectarines and numerous varieties of apple trees.
Source: Jordan Creek Living, July 2025; by Jackie Wilson
Julie and Tom Stork
Controlled chaos
There is easily enough going on in Julie and Tom Stork’s backyard to keep a large team of landscapers busy. Surrounding the large open area of lusciously green grass, they have multiple gardens with numerous plants, flowers and vegetables. They have two varieties of peas, tomatoes, asparagus, lettuce, Swiss chard, zucchini, strawberries, rhubarb and peppers. They have cone flowers, poppies, larkspur, hollyhocks, hibiscus and coreopsis.
“This plant here is an experiment,” Julie says, pointing to one. “I’m not quite sure what it is. I thought I had planted some flower seeds, but it looks more like a weed. I’m waiting for it to bloom before I decide to keep it or pull it.”
The entire area has the vibe of controlled chaos. Yes, they carefully landscape, mulch, pull weeds and plant various items, but they have also let Mother Nature play her hand as well.
“It all started 30 years ago,” Julie says. “The kids were grown and flown, and we had more time on our hands. Tom decided he needed a hobby, and he started growing roses,” Julie says.
Source: Urbandale Living, July 2025; by Joe Baumgarten
Gary Garles
A career, a hobby, a life
With a former career in landscape design and landscape construction, Gary Garles knows the technical and business sides of how to put forward a great looking yard.
“My career was landscaping,” Gary says. “My hobby was landscaping. I’ve had access for years to all sorts of wholesale nurseries that other people wouldn’t necessarily be able to get ahold of. I’ve been able to acquire some plants that really aren’t on the market for sale. We have some rare, some unusual things and some things that are just hard to find. Usually when garden clubs come by here and do a tour, they want to see those things because they’ve never seen them before.”
In addition to “building his outdoor room,” Gary and his wife, Nancy Wells, improved the patio.
“We decided we wanted to put a patio in the back and cozy up a place there so we had a place to sit outside,” Gary explains. “We put a tiny little fire pit there. And then my wife says, ‘What are you going to do for the actual patio?’ And I said, ‘I’m just going to throw some gravel down there.’ She gave me the stink eye about like, ‘What is going on here?’ However, the gravel packed down nicely and all was well.” ♦
Source: Altoona Living, July 2025; by Sean Dengler
