By Emily Williams
When Harold and Karen Stephens moved into their Vestavia Hills home in 1993, Karen had a vision for a beautiful garden and Harold wanted to build a pool.
Over the years, the once lackluster space has been transformed into a family gathering place. Harold said that for many years, Karen took complete charge of the gardening and spent much of her free time planting and tending to a variety of flowers and foliage.
“In the past, Karen would maintain the plants year-round. She would spend hours out there,” Harold said, noting that the fan palms that Karen planted years ago are still thriving.
Though her health doesn’t allow her to take charge of the landscaping any longer, Harold said that Karen is still the authority on what stays and what goes.
“She points at what she wants and we make it happen,” Harold said. For the grunt work, the Stephens rely on professional help these days from their neighbor John Richter of the Richter Landscape Company.
In the past, the garden has won a Vestavia Hills beautification award. It’s an official commendation of a job well done, according to Harold, but the favorite memories the garden has given him are those spent with family.
Outdoor living has become increasingly trendy, and Harold said he’s glad he was ahead of the curve.
“We have four children and we’ve hosted many of their wedding parties and birthdays here,” Harold said. “I’m so fortunate that all of my children live within about 10 minutes of our home. They’re always dropping by to spend time with their mother and it means the world to us.”
A regular visit from the kids now comes with grandchildren, a pack of them spanning from 10 years to 2 months old. Harold said he loves to watch the kids romp in the grass and swim in the pool, and Karen is always keeping an eye out for flower picking.
“We cook out a lot back there,” Harold said. “We have a surround sound system installed so we can play music.”
The party atmosphere, according to Harold, is perfect for Stephens family reunions. Being one of six siblings, Harold’s normal reunions can mean 100 or so people at the house, filling the back yard and spilling onto an adjoining patio on the side of the house.
“We have truly enjoyed this space,” Harold said. “It’s all because of Karen. I do it for her because she was the one behind all of this from the beginning and it has been a real blessing sharing it with her.”
