Meet Dustin and Molly Jefford
The Jeffords live in Cottage Home with their two daughters, Spencer and Austen, aged four and seven. They bought their home, a restored Victorian, in 2012. Dustin works in cybersecurity at Lilly, and Molly works for the state. Their home was originally built in the early 1800s, but their house, along with two other adjacent homes, burned down in the mid-1800s and was rebuilt by the renowned architecture firm Vonnegut and Bohn in 1889.
Their landscaping challenge:
From the time they moved in, they knew they wanted to create a better and more flexible outdoor living space (and Dustin was very interested in not having to mow!). When COVID hit in 2020, they really wanted an outdoor space they could safely gather with family and friends, and they knew it was time to get something started.
“We knew Heath (Hurst) from around the neighborhood,” said Dustin. “When we moved in, he was one of the first people to introduce himself and welcome us. When we asked neighbors who they would recommend for landscaping, every single one of them said ‘Heath Outdoor.’ And we love how much Heath Outdoor, and Heath himself, give back to the community. So it was an easy choice.”
Their landscaping vision:
“When Heath came over, he asked a lot of questions, and really listened to how we wanted to use our space,” Molly continued. “We know absolutely nothing about plants. We just knew we wanted things that looked good and were low maintenance. We also knew we wanted a firepit, and a patio area the girls could play on, that we could set up a bouncy house or put a wading pool on, that could also convert to a dining area when we needed it.”
The plan:
For the first phase of their backyard transformation, the Jeffords decided to do a gravel firepit area and a paver patio off of their existing deck.
“Heath did the landscape design himself,” said Molly. “He turned it around really fast and gave us a lot of great ideas. He also presented us with options for the paver stones for our patio and made it really easy to pick.”
The process:
The Heath Outdoor team removed the grass, graded the area and installed a brick paver patio that matched the existing pathway, as well as gravel and a firepit. In 2025, the Jeffords decided to start an edible garden, so the Heath Outdoor team returned to build raised garden beds in the backyard. At that time, the team also redid the landscaping in the front of the house and along the side.
What’s next
The Jeffords plan to add an outdoor kitchen and a hot tub as their girls get older.
Their outdoor living dream come true
“We’ve made a lot of memories out here over the years,” said Molly. “Our house is homebase for a lot of people for the Cottage Home Block Party every year. Our girls love riding their bikes on the patio, and we love that it’s a safe place for them to play. We have an annual Easter egg hunt in the backyard, and do fun stuff like art projects and making s’mores over the firepit.”
“Also, since we added the raised beds, the girls love to come out here and pick vegetables,” Molly continued. “We have a pretty good crop of cucumbers, tomatoes and pumpkins!”
“This space is also a second living and working space for us,” Dustin added. “Since we both work from home, it’s great to have another place to take calls. Molly and I also enjoy sitting out here when the kids are watching a movie.”
What the Jeffords have to say:
“The Heath Outdoor team are all really considerate people,” said Molly. “Heath offered us ideas, but was never pushy. The crew was very respectful of our property. Every time they’ve worked here, they’ve done exactly what they said they would do. Heath Outdoor will absolutely be our first phone call when we’re ready for the next project.”
About Heath Outdoor
Heath Outdoor, a premier, local, family-owned landscaping company established in 2009, proudly serves the vibrant communities of Indianapolis and its surrounding areas. Strategically located in the heart of Indianapolis, we extend our expert landscaping and hardscaping services to both commercial and residential customers in Carmel, Westfield, Fishers, Geist, Noblesville, Zionsville, Avon, Plainfield, Brownsburg, McCordsville, Greenwood, Columbus, Franklin and beyond.
Design and build services include:
Custom gardens and landscapes, paver patios and walkways, water features and recreation ponds, custom outdoor fire pits and fireplaces, outdoor kitchens, pool and spa vaults, tiny houses, storage sheds, pergolas and decks, retaining walls, fencing and playgrounds.
Commercial and residential property maintenance services include:
Mowing, mulching, planting and watering service, irrigation and drainage system installation and repairs, seasonal property clean-ups, and snow and ice management. In 2024, Heath Outdoor added eco-focused private gardening and garden coaching to our property maintenance services through a partnership with Spotts Garden Service.
Why Heath Outdoor?
We’re not just in the business of landscaping—we’re in the business of finding solutions and bringing dreams to life. Whether it’s crafting breathtaking commercial outdoor spaces or creating custom outdoor living areas from scratch, we’ve got the passion, expertise, creativity and team to make it happen.
At Heath Outdoor, we’re also committed to giving back to the community, through our Juneteenth service project, annual participation in the Indy Pride parade, Butter Art Fair and Feast of Lanterns sponsorship and neighborhood beautification efforts.
The Hurst Brothers family of companies
Heath Outdoor is a Hurst Brothers company. Other brands in the Hurst Brothers family of companies include: DIGS Garden Center, Indy Insulation and Spray Company and Spotts Garden Service.
