Design and Dine Contest landscaping unveiled

When Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Kevin Cooper returns from work after April 25, he and his wife Missy won’t have to feel far from the island in their Bent Tree home.

The couple won the ArtisTree Design & Dine Backyard Makeover Contest, and saw the blueprints of their new backyard March 12. ArtisTree designers settled on the name for the oasis, “Coopers’ Coastal Retreat,” minutes before the couple arrived at the firm’s headquarters.

A hammock tucked between three cocoanut trees is the first thing the Coopers will see in their backyard after ArtisTree Landscape Maintenance & Design completes the landscaping, which also includes about 20 plant species, a fire pit, irrigation and an LED lighting system. A fountain sits next to the kitchen window and sand is also a feature.

Pitch apple trees line the yard, and serve as organic guest books for Cooper get-togethers. The trees’ leathery leaves are sturdy enough to write on, and names remain until the leaf is shed.