Appropriately enough, the creator of this space, David Gelatt, is not only an avid gardener but has long been a devotee of the performing arts. 

David thoroughly waters the plant wall about twice a week in summer. The natural drip-irrigation system ensures that all plants receive moisture. (Kevin is well aware that David is in his own little world when he’s working with his plants.)

History is another of David’s interests and the house he shares with his husband, Kevin Peters, has an intriguing tale of its own. Located on a side street in Lancaster’s East Side, David has a suspicion that the property, which sits just off Plum Street, may have once been owned (or leased) by Lancaster’s first mayor, John Passmore. David explains that in the late 1700s and early 1800s, Lancaster City’s eastern boundary ended in the vicinity of Shippen Street or perhaps Plum Street. Beyond that, the rural landscape held orchards, garden plots and farm fields. As the city expanded, distilleries and similar businesses gravitated to the area. 

Once warm weather arrives, David moves his plants outdoors, where they help to create a living green room in the garden. Other plants include fragrant and colorful bloomers (such as oleander), as well as a 20-year-old bonsai David has been training for the past 10 years.

Passmore, who was appointed as Lancaster’s first mayor by Gov. Simon Snyder in March of 1818, lived at the corner of North Shippen and East Orange streets. According to Uncharted Lancaster, Passmore was the third owner of the house that, to this day, retains unique historical “amenities,” including a curbside stepping stone (which provided easier entry and exit from a carriage), a hitching post, a busybody mirror (which allowed people on the second floor to see who was at the front door), a sundial (above the front door) and a fire mark (indicating that in the case of a fire, either a private or volunteer company would render assistance). 

Hose fittings from the plumbing department at Lowe’s provided an economical answer as to how David could attach terra cotta pots to the fence. All plants are labeled.

Through research, David has learned that Passmore, an attorney who had the reputation as being colorful, eccentric and “larger than life” (he weighed nearly 500 pounds), harbored an interest in apples and maintained an orchard not far from his home. The fact that apple trees exist in the vicinity of their home has prompted David to wonder if it was the site of Passmore’s orchard. Another clue relates to the house in which David and Kevin live. It was once a cidery, earning the name “Vinegar House.” (The timeframe is consistent, as the cidery was built in the late 1700s or early 1800s.) His interest in genealogy prompted David to research the house’s succession of owners. So far, he’s found nothing that relates to Passmore, but he plans to keep digging. 

When David and Kevin bought the house 15 years ago, the back of the property was far from inviting. “Let’s see,” David says, “It was basically an open space with a scraggly rose bush, a black walnut tree, a cherry tree and a 6-foot-high tree stump.” Layers of differing types of gravel comprised the “landscape.” As David recalls, “I’d shovel gravel into a hole that was filled with another type of gravel. It was never-ending!” To remedy the situation, he had a truckload of topsoil brought in to create a blank canvas. “I built beds using stone and leftover shingles,” he recalls. “There was nothing at the front of the house either, so I put beds in there, too.” 

In this pocket garden, every square inch is utilized. This getaway is perfect for enjoying dinner al fresco, listening to music and unwinding on a Friday night.

The next project entailed building a fence. “I had never built a fence in my life, so I followed directions on YouTube,” he explains. After that, he installed a brick walkway. “I had never done that either,” he says of once again consulting YouTube. “Then we went on a great shopping trip,” he recalls, admitting that he loses all aspects of common sense whenever he is in the vicinity of a greenhouse. “We bought a dawn redwood and realized too late that they get really big!” he laughs. 

The not-so-joyous side of gardening presented challenges when the cherry tree became infected with bores and a cypress tree developed a fungal infection. Trial-and-error describes the way in which he found flowering plants that liked the shade-filled space. “Eventually, we got to a good place,” David says.

A birdbath is a favorite spot for the neighborhood birds to cool off. David uses the app, Merlin, to identify the chirpings of birds he does not recognize.

David was no neophyte where plants are concerned and is quick to point out that he loves them all and enjoys nothing more than going plant shopping. He traces his affinity for plants and gardening back to his childhood. “I’ve loved houseplants since I was a kid,” he says. “My mom, as well as my dad’s mother, were really into plants.” Visiting his grandparents in New York state provided him with an introduction to a doctor’s wife whose gardens were dedicated to herbs. “I loved hanging out with her,” David recalls. “She taught me all the names of the herbs she grew and their medicinal purposes.” Back home (Denver area), Good’s Greenhouse (now Esbenshade’s) was a favorite destination. “By the time I was in 8th or 9th grade, I had 400 plants growing in my bedroom,” he reports. 

Potted plants are massed to create container gardens.

David’s fascination with plants continues; only now the focus is on tropicals. His very sizable collection winters over on the second and third floors of the house and spends the warm-weather months outdoors. “Funny thing about houseplants is that you bring them indoors and they become susceptible to all kinds of bugs and pests, but move them outside and they thrive,” he says, explaining that Mother Nature provides protection in the form of beneficial insects that prey on those attacking the plants. 

David credits the emergence of the outdoor green room to Summer Rayne Oakes, whose résumé makes you wonder when the woman has time to eat or sleep. Oakes, who lives in a plant-filled (nearly 700 and counting) apartment in Brooklyn, was born near Clarks Summit (northeastern PA), where she developed an interest in science and nature. She graduated from Cornell University with degrees in environmental science and entomology. 

A bartlett pear tree grows in the garden. “The squirrels love them,” David reports.

Oakes’ varied interests – everything from gardening and cooking to interior design – led to blogging, a YouTube channel, social media sites, writing books, a show on Discovery (Planet Green) and podcasting. An interest in fashion led to modeling, through which she has become an advocate for sustainability in the industry and with it, recognition as the world’s first “eco-model.” 

No space goes unused: tree branches are perfect for creating vertical interest.

Oakes’ latest project is Flock, through which she and two partners are transforming 90 acres in the Finger Lakes region into a “living laboratory” that centers on sustainable and creative ways to “live life to the fullest.” (Garden tours for Summer 2024 are already sold out.) 

It seems Oakes is no stranger to Lancaster. When David learned she was a recent visitor to Little Brook Orchids, he was crestfallen that he missed the opportunity to meet her. Information: summerrayne.net and flockfingerlakes.com.     

While watching one of Oakes’ YouTube shows, David noticed that she has making space for the plants in her apartment via vertical gardening. In one area, rows of vertical plantings essentially created a green wall. “It resulted in one massive display of green leaves,” he explains. “She also had incorporated a drip irrigation system.” 

One section of the garden is devoted to banana trees, which deliver a decidedly tropical look to the space. David built the fence and installed brick walkways with the help of directions provided by YouTube.

David immediately thought of his fence that essentially serves as a wall on the street-side of the deck area. It had always needed “something” to merge it with the garden beds and container gardens. Inspired, he came up with the idea of outfitting the wall with circular wrought-iron holders that could hold terra cotta containers. Upon doing his homework, he determined “it would cost a fortune” to buy the number of holders he would need. It was back to the drawing board. 

One day, while visiting Lowe’s, David thought to explore the plumbing department. That’s where he found the perfect solution: hose fittings. “I bought a couple and went home and began experimenting,” he says. Voilà! They worked … sort of. “They weren’t strong enough to hold the pots upright; instead, they tilted,” he continues. David ultimately arrived at a simple solution: blocks of wood screwed into the wall under the fittings kept the pots upright. 

Maintenance is fairly easy. “I water the wall twice a week,” David reports. A natural drip-irrigation system exists in that excess water from the top row of plants filters down to the plants in the lower rows. The bottom of the display is comprised of smaller pots that fit into a tray-like area; here, the containers can absorb the water that fills the tray. “The plants love it,” David says. “They get light, there’s air movement and the porous pots retain water.” 

David definitely qualifies as a dedicated gardener, as he is always making plans for the future. “I’m thinking of going in another direction and filling the beds with boxwood,” he says of bringing a different vibe to the 20-by-25-foot L-shaped backyard. At this news, Kevin, who admittedly has a black thumb where gardening is concerned, rolls his eyes, knowing that trips to greenhouses are in his future. 

A sunny yellow door opens into the kitchen.

While Kevin gives David free reign where the garden is concerned, osmosis seems to be having an impact. “He’s getting to the point where he recognizes plants and knows their names,“ says David. “We’ll be somewhere, and I’ll pick something up and he’ll say, ‘Don’t you already have one of those?’” Kevin’s newfound talent may have credence, but knowing David, there’s a very good possibility that such a plant lurks somewhere in the house or garden. 

In the alley way, volunteer corn grows courtesy of the squirrels. David complements the corn plants with flowering annuals.

David’s Favorite Plant Destinations 

David and Kevin love to jump in the car on a Saturday and visit well-known garden centers, as well as the small greenhouses that dot the rural areas of the county. “You never know what you’ll find!” David says of such adventures. What follows are a few of his favorites and what he feels are their specialties. 

• Ken’s Gardens, Smoketown & Intercourse: garden plants.
• Conestoga Nursery, East Earl: trees and shrubs. 
• Terrain, Glen Mills, Chester County: plants, containers and lunch/dinner in a greenhouse.
• Black Creek Greenhouses, East Earl: annuals and perennials. 
• River Road Produce & Garden Center, Marietta: bedding plants, houseplants and tropicals.
• Mutschler’s Rare Plants, Birdsboro, Berks County: the name says it all.
• Little Brook Orchids, Lancaster: huge selection of orchids, plus supplies and services.
• Gallery Grow, Lancaster: houseplants, tropicals, supplies. 
• He also suggests that veteran plant growers or those just getting started on their collections join the Facebook page, Plants of Lancaster County, PA. To date, the page boasts 4.5K members.  

Serendipity is defined as making “unexpected and fortunate discoveries.” Such is the professional and personal relationship that exists between Dwight Graybill, the owner of Cocalico Builders, and some clients who became valued friends over the course of
the last 15 years. 

What had been a very expansive backyard is now dedicated to a pool that is part of a remodeled outdoor-living complex that includes multiple sitting areas and a dining/cooking space. The complex, which originally grew out of a 10×12-foot patio, has become a favorite gathering space for four generations of family members.

 The story actually begins 40-plus years ago, when Dwight and his client played basketball for rival high schools. Years later, the two experienced a chance encounter in Florida, where both were attending events for their respective industries. “I was at a cocktail party and looked over and thought to myself, ‘I know that guy,’” Dwight recalls. A high school rivalry seemed so, well high school, and they deemed it was time to let bygones be bygones and catch up on where life had taken them. They found common ground in the fact that both were pursuing careers, had married and become fathers. Then time, as it often does, flew by. 

Deep Roots 

Fifteen years ago, Dwight found a property outside of Denver that “spoke” to him, and so, he bought it and moved his family and business there. However, there was one thing that irked him about the property. There was a large open space between the house and the garage/office. “What am I going to do with that?” he thought to himself. Dwight decided to remedy the situation by building a spectacular outdoor-living area that would allow him to indulge in his favorite things: cooking, entertaining and celebrating life’s special moments (or a run-of-the-mill Saturday night) with family and friends.

When the homeowner shared with Cocalico Builders’ Dwight Graybill that she would like to replace all the manufactured man-made stone veneer with real stone and extend the travertine to the new patios, he was a little taken aback but nonetheless was onboard to update the 10-year-old space. The homeowner found new homes for all the stone veneer that was removed.

He also transformed the house, which featured log and stone construction, by building an addition that holds a soaring living room and a primary suite, remodeling the kitchen (twice) and bathrooms, and installing a wine cellar in the lower level. He figures it’s time to update the outdoor-living area. “After all, it’s been more than 10 years,” he says. “It could use a little tweaking.” 

Building the outdoor space and wine cellar also allowed him to indulge in his love of recycling and upcycling building materials. “I grew up on a farm,” he explains. “If I wasn’t milking cows, I was swinging a hammer. We did for ourselves. We never threw anything away. We saved all kinds of stuff,” he says of repurposing stone, boards, beams, windows, doors, metalwork and the list goes on. “Reusing things is just second nature to me.” 

The view from the outdoor-living area now includes a pool and a beautiful vista of sunsets and the night sky.

He also likes to “incorporate a little bit of history into projects,” by using items that he sources from local farms, buildings being razed and landmarks such as the former Mountain Springs Hotel in Ephrata. “Repurposed items just add some character to a project that you can’t achieve with new material,” he says. Two of his projects – Bear Mill Estate in Denver and the Fichthorn residence near Adamstown – won C. Emlen Urban awards, which are presented annually by the Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County. 

The homeowner loves the fact that the sandstone that comprises this staircase was sourced from around his hometown of New Holland.

That regard for history also comes as second nature to Dwight. Thanks to his uncle, Dr. Donald M. Herr, who founded Manheim Pike Veterinary Hospital with his wife, Dr. Patricia Thompson Herr, Dwight can trace his lineage back to Hans Herr. “Uncle Don was able to trace our family back to the 17th century,” he says of his mother’s late brother. “Hans Herr is my 10-times grandfather,” he notes, adding that another relative, Daniel Herr (Dwight’s great, great, great grandfather), founded the Refton area in 1877. Donald and Patricia Herr were also avid collectors of antiques. Dr. Patricia was instrumental in bringing the Esprit Collection of Amish Quilts back to Lancaster. (LancasterHistory recently hosted two sold-out shows that allowed attendees to see a select number of quilts and learn about the collection.) 

Reconnecting … Again  

A story about Dwight’s outdoor-living area appeared in the July 2010 issue of LCM. His former basketball opponent took note of the article, telling his wife, “I know this guy!” The two had been wanting to take advantage of their expansive backyard and build an outdoor-living area for their family to enjoy. “All we had was a 10×12-foot patio,” the client recalls. 

One of the seating areas features a large fireplace on which a flat-screen television can be placed. It’s a favorite place to watch Penn State football games in the fall.

They contacted Dwight and the three agreed to meet at a local restaurant. The couple shared their vision and ideas took shape on napkins. “From the beginning, there was a trust factor,” the client explains. “Dwight’s an artist; we trusted him to create something that would meet our expectations.” The resulting outdoor-living area included a covered dining area/kitchen, a sitting area with a massive fireplace that accommodated a television and another sitting area that was outfitted with a spa. Lighting, another of Dwight’s must-haves for outdoor projects, also made an impact. The outdoor area became a magnet for family and friends, notably the couple’s four boys and their friends. 

A beautiful travertine-covered terrace extends the outdoor-living area and provides a beautiful view of the pool and skyline.

The project also represented a new direction for Dwight, in that the design was rather contemporary. “Every project is different,” he explains. “I like to say, ‘It will build itself.’” No matter the style of a project, he feels it’s important to infuse it with the personalities and tastes of its owners. “I’m old school,” he admits. “I’m not sitting on the internet looking for ideas. They kind of find me.” 

Third Time’s the Charm

Four years ago, the client’s wife decided to purchase some new furnishings for the spa area. “These two huge chairs show up and I tell her they are not going to fit,” the client remembers. Nevertheless, she was determined to keep them, which prompted him to say, “We’ll need to extend that area in order for them to fit.” 

What had been a spa area was remodeled and enlarged to create another sitting area.

Those prophetic words instigated a conversation about the future. Knowing this would be their forever home, they decided to remodel and enlarge the outdoor-living area. “Our landscaper always said that the backyard needed a pool,” she recalls. With their sons well on their way to forging their own careers and families, they viewed making such an investment in their home as a way to maintain and even strengthen family bonds. In agreement they should proceed, they placed a call to Dwight. 

The wife also had another idea on her to-do list: she wanted to replace all the manufactured man-made stone veneer with real stone and extend the travertine flooring to the expanded patios. “That one kind of blew my mind, but she’s the client,” Dwight says of digesting that request. She also took a page from Dwight’s game book and arranged for all the stone veneer that would be removed to be reused or donated. “We found new homes for everything that was removed,” she notes. Through that exercise, a new talent – organizational skills – emerged. 

As a result, Dwight gained a project manager for the job in his client. “You have to remember, we were in the middle of the pandemic and supply-chain issues were a problem,” Dwight says. “We began sourcing materials a year before we even broke ground. She just took control and found everything we needed. It took the pressure off me. I’ve never experienced that with a customer before. Even the landscaper wanted to know how we managed to get access to all those materials.” As for the client’s hidden talents, she says she enjoyed the role she played in the project and credits “women’s intuition” for knowing how to move the project along. Needless to say, once the project was underway, it became evident that more furniture would be needed, a project she was more than happy to oversee. 

Not wanting wet footprints tracked through the first floor, Dwight suggested that the laundry room be transformed into an easy-access powder room.

The addition of a pool also initiated the need for some remodeling inside the house. Before, visitors had access to the first-floor bathroom. “They had to walk through the entire first floor to get to it,” she points out. “With a pool, I didn’t want wet feet tracking through the house.” Dwight came up with a plan that would move the laundry room to another area of the first floor and transform that space into a powder room that was accessible from the outdoors. “That made a huge difference, plus the laundry is more convenient, now,” she reports.

Dwight maintains that lighting is a key element of outdoor-living projects. “It’s critical; it just sets the whole mood,” he says of bringing attention to the texture of the stonework, extending user time well into the evening, illuminating the trees and even making winter nights less dreary. “Everything’s on separate systems,” he says of the planning that went into this project. Features such as firepits add another dimension of light.

The project was completed just in time to celebrate the Fourth of July holiday. “We were in the water for the first time on July 3, 2021,” the client recalls. It’s in constant use by four generations of family members (grandchildren have since joined the fold) from late spring to early fall. The “media patio” attracts a “lion’s share” of Penn State football fans each fall. Plus, an annual open house takes place the Saturday after Thanksgiving that entails chili, beer, football and officially closing the pool for the season.  

Embracing the Future 

Dwight is excited that his younger son, Ben, is now in a position to take over more of the day-to-day responsibilities of operating the company he has owned for the last 30-plus years. That will allow Dwight to spend more time doing what he loves: designing spaces for clients. He has all the confidence that Ben, who just turned 30, will keep Cocalico Builders moving forward. “He’s almost running it now,” Dwight says of handing more and more responsibilities over to his son. “Besides, all the clients are now asking for his advice, so I see that as a positive sign.” 

Dwight Graybill (left), who has owned Cocalico Builders for the last 30-plus years, is in the process of handing more responsibilities over to his younger son, Ben. Submitted photo.

Ben, who graduated from Cocalico High School and spent 18 months at Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology, says he always had “a gut feeling” that he would follow in his father’s footsteps, referring to the on-the-job training he has received as “Cocalico Builders University.” He believes the seeds of following in his father’s footsteps were planted when he helped with a roof-replacement project at their home. “I think I was 8 at the time,” he says. Dwight thinks back to the project and quips, “I think I had the whole family up there!” he says of son, Don, who serves in the Navy and is based in San Diego, and daughter, Savannah, who lives in Lancaster and will be getting married this summer. “The kids and I were pulling off the shingles and throwing them down to my wife, Angie.” 

It appears Dwight already has a project to oversee for his clients/friends. The wife has been dropping hints that she would like a new kitchen. 

For more information, visit Cocalico-builders.com. 

Credits 

• Design/Build/Remodel: Cocalico Builders, Denver 
• Pool: Integrity Pools & Spas, Lititz 
• Excavator (patio/rock wall): Brian Hackman, A&H Excavating, New Holland 
• Stone: Welsh Stone Supply, Paradise 
• Stone: Drohan Brick & Supply, Mount Joy 
• Electrical Contractor (lighting): Tyler Fichthorn Electric, Reinholds 
• Furnishings: Bowman’s Stove & Patio, Ephrata  
• Fencing: Country View Fencing, New Holland  
• Landscaping: Cobblestone Landscape, Lititz