THE WASHINGTON POST.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2021EZ
8 9
EZTHE WASHINGTON POST.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2021BY AUDREY HOFFER • PHOTOS BY BILL O’LEARY
Outdoor spaces like balconies,
decks, patios and porches are
precious amenities for home-
owners and renters alike. The
past year-and-a-half of solitary
pandemic living has turned them
into invaluable real estate assets.
Now demand is soaring.
“Any outdoor space is now
more highly prized than ever,”
said Catarina Bannier, a Compass
agent in the D.C. area.
Fresh air is intoxicating. Now
in autumn it’s cool with a h int of
chill. An artist would paint the air
amber and yellow to match the
changing leaves. The pandemic
has enhanced our sensitivity to
the beauty of outdoors.
And people are churning theircreative juices as the pandemic
inspired them to enjoy the out-
doors in new ways.
“We spent a lot of time in the
garden, tending the plants, enjoy-
ing being together. My kids need-
ed screen breaks and exercise and
I needed to de- stress and get fresh
air and sunshine,” said Amy Suar-
di of her five children ages 8 to 19.
They cared for fruit trees, flow-
ers, strawberries, carrots, toma-
toes and sugar snap peas. “We
farmed the tree box by hoeing up
all the weeds, adding compost
and planting sunflower and zin-
nia seeds. The sunflowers grew
over 12 feet tall. We planted black-
berries along the driveway and
SEE OUTDOORS ON T10COVER STORY
In pandemic li fe,
more emphasis on
the grea t outdoors
A slice of nature is ‘more highly prized than ever’
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Diana, Mark and Luke S uardi play on the slide in their D.C. backyard. Amy Suardi, their
mother, works in her garden. The c hildren do schoolwork on the front porch and toss around a football. When the pandemic
broke out, “Suddenly the ordinary t hings became precious and our garden started to feel like a wonderland.” Amy said.