Photo by Dan Szczepanski
When Kevin Erdman and Dan Szczepanski purchased their quaint West Allis home three years ago, they wondered what to do with the plain backyard that came with it. Small, rectangular and lacking in character, the yard was truly a blank canvas...a canvas the couple quickly colored with their love of all things Disney.
“I grew up loving the art of Disney movies which continues to inspire me,” says Szczepanski, a freelance artist. “We’ve always incorporated Disney themes into the places we’ve lived. When we moved into this house, having a yard expanded those opportunities to take that art outdoors.”
Szczepanski and Erdman began by carving out an area in the backyard they call The Royal Rose Garden, planting roses that complement each Disney princess. “Once this first section was done, we were so happy,” says Erdman, “we were inspired to plan additional themed areas.”
Whistle While You Work
Step into the yard today and you’ll find multiple gardens offering nods to Disney films including Alice in Wonderland, Snow White, Bambi and others. A colorful tribute to the ride “It’s A Small World” wraps around the back deck via raised floral beds; impressive garden accents (items from secondhand stores and flea markets the couple repurposed) pay homage to scenes from The Little Mermaid and Peter Pan.
The wonderland of a yard currently spotlights 70 different Disney characters, 35 of which are captured in large plywood cutouts created by Szczepanski. “It takes about 10 hours, start to finish, to make one of the cutouts,” he explains. “I begin by drawing the character onto plywood. I use a jigsaw to cut it out, and then sand the edges. Next, I apply multiple layers of base coats of paint, and then detail the character by adding outlines and highlights. The final step is to apply several coats of polyurethane to protect it from sun damage and weather.”
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The impressive displays don’t stop with the cutouts, however. Look closely, and you’ll discover sculpted pieces as well. “The birds in the Alice Garden started out with store-bought flamingos,” Szczepanski says. “I added layers of air-dry clay to sculpt the cartoonish features of the faces. Once dry, I completed them with outdoor spray paint and outdoor acrylic paints.”
And what would a Disney-themed yard be without a nod to Mickey himself? You’ll find the big cheese represented by the large Fantasia sorcerer’s hat nestled in the corner of a garden. “The hat began with an orange traffic cone from Amazon that we sprayed with outdoor paint,” says Szczepanski. “The stars and moon are made of outdoor self-adhesive vinyl.”
The eye-fetching artwork is balanced with a wide variety of flowers, plants and other foliage. “We incorporate a mix of perennials for a foundation with annuals for pops of color,” Erdman says.
“We also look for a diverse selection of plants based on the area we need them,” adds Szczepanski. “For example, the Neverland Garden has a tropical theme, so Kevin and I planted hibiscus, tiger lily and Russian cypress that’s in the shape of a palm tree.”
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Photo by Dan Szczepanski
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A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes
As whimsical, colorful and delightful as the fairytale gardens are, things take a dramatic turn when the sun goes down and the backyard lights go up. “Dan is the ‘art guy,’ and I am the ‘lighting guy,’” laughs Erdman. “We feel that the lighting is important to the overall landscape’s design, and we were inspired by the lighting used at Disney parks.
“One of our goals was to use lights to create a colorful backdrop, while also highlighting the characters in the gardens. We easily added interest to our fence with spotlights and flood lights.” It’s this concept of layering various lighting elements and colors that truly bring the couple’s garden to life at night—much like a Disney Park after dark.
“We both feel like Disney is our second home,” adds Erdman. “Vacationing to Disney theme parks offers a chance to escape and be surrounded by that Disney magic.” Thanks to their hard work, talent and imagination, the couple can now surround themselves with that enchanting Disney charm every time they step into their very magical backyard.
