Meet Kevin and Marna Hankins
The Hankins own a lovely home in New Palestine that they share with with Marna’s mom, Barbara, and their dog, Phoenix. Their home is a three bedroom, brick ranch built in 2003, and it sits on nearly a half-acre lot, with a fenced-in backyard. Originally from Wanamaker, they had moved, in retirement, to Dauphin Island, Alabama. However, after spending too much time missing their grandkids, they moved back to Indiana in 2025. Kevin and Marna have been married for thirty-eight years.
Their landscaping challenge:
The Hankins have both always loved being on, or near, the water. In the early days of their marriage, their need to have water nearby started with Marna buying Kevin an aquarium. It was a small start to their waterside vision–they always knew they would live on the water, whether it was seaside, lakeside or simply by creating a waterside oasis of their very own. When they made the decision to leave Dauphin Island and return to New Palestine, they knew they would build a pond. They chose their home because it already had a pool, with plenty of room to put a large water feature in.
Their landscaping vision:
The Hankins envisioned a waterside retreat in their backyard that would provide the backdrop for family gatherings and a place their grandkids could bring their friends and hang out for years to come.
“We made several drawings of ponds ourselves,” said Marna. “We’d been thinking about it for a while. We spent a lot of time on the Aquascape website, and that’s where we found Heath Outdoor. When Cory (Gliege) came to the house, he asked us if he could just sit back there for a while. He really took in the space and came up with a vision that went well beyond what we had come up with. It really was beyond our wildest dreams.”
The plan:
Cory’s design for their water feature included a dual-section, multi-level pond with waterfalls, surrounded by rustic boulders, natural plantings and driftwood, some of which was sourced from the Dauphin Island area, to bring a bit of the beach in. The pond area itself would be large enough for the grandkids to swim in. The plan also included a new patio around the pool area.
The process:
The Heath Outdoor team began by excavating a massive hole for the pond area, and the building began. As the building of the pond progressed, they decided to add a stone pathway so they could walk around it, see it from all sides, and access the hammock hanging in the back of the yard to enjoy the tranquil sounds of the water. The overall installation, start to finish, took about twelve days.
Their outdoor living dream come true
“We finally have our waterside home here in Indiana,” said Marna. “It’s more beautiful than we could have imagined. We’re out here pretty much every day. My mom’s room faces the back and she loves sitting in her window at the pond. We have five grandkids, one four-month-old great grand, and another great-grandbaby due in November. As our family grows, we’ll always have this wonderful place for them to come and make memories.”
“And not only do we have a backyard filled with love of family, friends,” Marna continued, “But it’s also filled with just a bit of magic! We’re big Harry Potter fans and we call it our Forbidden Forest, and we’ve hidden various Harry Potter items throughout. If you look closely, you’ll see Sorting Hat, a wand, Phoenix, a snitch and Trevor the Frog. We’ve had a lot of fun with it.”
What the Hankins have to say:
“The Heath Outdoor team was phenomenal,” said Kevin. “We really got to know them while they were here working. We were so grateful for all their hard work that we made breakfast and lunch for them, and even enjoyed meals with them. Antonio was an amazing project manager. He anticipated issues before they occurred and created several special touches we hadn’t even thought of. And then, once the pond was done, the guys even brought us koi from Heath (Hurst’s) own pond! We’ll definitely be calling the Heath Outdoor team for any future projects.” 
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.
