When The Retreat at Mountain Brook‘s team was looking at unique amenities to offer their residents, two ideas sprung up: a dog park and community garden.

“So many residents have pets and when you work all day it’s important to spend quality time playing and enjoying your four-legged friends,” says Amy Hodges, manager of The Retreat. “It’s really all about providing a sense of community and a place for people to come together and love where they live!”

When residents arrive at The Retreat, they will immediately find this luxury community revolves around the enjoyment of the outdoors with its walking trails, outdoor kitchens, and saltwater swimming pools. The community garden is a central part of this outdoor oasis.

“We plan to have a large herb garden, seasonal flowers for cutting, and other things,” says Hodges. “If residents have gardening ideas, we want them bring them to the table.”

In addition to the garden and park, The Retreat team wanted a cheerful mural to welcome residents and visitors as they drive up to the apartments. They sought out the right artist for the job and ultimately chose Lydia Randolph from Mentone, Alabama.

“The mural is an expression of the good times to be had by all at The Retreat. It provides a whimsical backdrop of all the things you’d expect to see in a garden-sunflowers and daises, puppies, frogs, tomatoes, and herbs,” says Hodges. “People from the neighborhood are actually stopping to see what we are doing and thanking us for improving the view.”

Originally published in B Metro, The Magazine of Metro Birmingham Living.