Twenty years ago, I began writing for CitiScapes Magazine to highlight the beauty of outdoor spaces in Northwest Arkansas. To celebrate, we have compiled highlights from each year, many coming from one of our favorite annual features, “Thrill of the Grill.”

It all goes back the year after I moved to Fayetteville from my hometown of Little Rock. I participated in a designers showhouse benefiting the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas and furnished not one but two outdoor living spaces belonging to a luxury condominium downtown.

The project involved several challenges, including a tight installation schedule and limited parking, but on top of it all (so to speak) was the fact that the condo was on the third floor of the building. In hindsight, perhaps I could have chosen something other than the 6-foot, 1,000-pound stone statue that anchored the larger of the two spaces, but you couldn’t have told me that then. Getting the statue up to the space and back down again nearly killed me and five very able-bodied movers, not to mention a couple of innocent bystanders on the ground. Luckily, we all survived, and the statue provided just the dramatic, star-of-the-show focal point I wanted.

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CitiScapes had generously donated the show programs, handling the photography, printing and publication, but each designer was responsible for writing the description of his or her space. After the show, when the founder and then editor of the magazine complimented me on my writing, I casually pointed out they really should include some sort of regular piece on gardens. Thus, the “Outdoor Living” feature was born.

Now, seemingly countless articles later, here we are! So, thank you. Thank you for reading and for stepping outdoors with us. Following this article, you can check out this year’s Thrill of the Grill and the beautiful backyard patio and garden where it took place. With that being said, I hope you enjoyed taking a walk down memory lane with us, and here’s to 20 more years!