At Kim and Mike Normand's peaceful garden home on Garden Avenue, bad vibes are left at the door.

"We come here and this is our vacation," Kim said Thursday. "We retired. We love our home. I'm not fixing it up to move. I'm fixing it up to live."

A shady, welcoming, ivy-festooned retreat can be found on the front porch of the Normands' 115-year-old home at 822 E. Garden Ave.

Luscious green lawns, aromatic herbs and pops of color are found throughout the grounds, mixed into a melange of trinkets, baubles, handmade curiosities and found items Kim and Mike have infused with their artistic vision to turn the discarded and unloved into the upcycled and restored.

It helps they have some experience. Kim founded the Shared Harvest Community Garden in 2008. She and Mike are both longtime artists. And although retirees, they continue to work as vendors at Midtown Home and Vintage Market.

"Our theme always has been that our footprint on the world is small," Kim said. "That's how we've lived our lives."

A new trend the Normands are enjoying is "cottagecore," a way of life that harks back to simpler times through old-fashioned, rural lifestyles, rustic décor and furniture and a revival of traditional crafts and ways of life.

Kim describes their organic garden as both "cottagecore" and "Bohemian," featuring colors, patterns, textures and pleasant surprises.

"For me, this has always been my grandmother's garden. This is what I would want," she said. "I let seeds fall where they may."

The Normand's "Cottage Garden" is one of six gardens in Coeur d'Alene and Dalton Gardens that will be featured on the Coeur d'Alene Garden Club's 24th annual Garden Tour from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 10.

This is the third time the Normands have participated in the Garden Tour. The first time was 15 years ago at their home and then 12 years ago at the Shared Harvest Community Garden.

“I feel really good about it,” Mike said. "This is her inspiration, her palette, per se. I’ve done a lot of the hardscaping things and the grass, making a lot of the stuff that you see.”

“And giving me margaritas," Kim interjected with a laugh.

When Kim and Mike moved into their Garden Avenue home 33 years ago, it was in need of a green thumb's touch and a lot of love.

"We had three arborvitaes in the front yard," Kim said. "That's it."

"This garage wasn't here," Mike added. "There was nothing. There was just parking in the back."

Kim said people will really enjoy seeing all of the handmade creations.

“My husband pretty much made everything. We did the table, everything,” she said. "Everything we have, we’ve repurposed and restored."

Kim said their garden is a therapeutic space as well as where inspiration is found. The Garden Tour's theme this year is "Peace in the Garden," a suiting concept for a quiet downtown garden where prayer flags and peace signs provide a sense of serenity.

“This particular garden was chosen because it’s so eclectic,” said Bonnie Warwick, who co-chairs the Garden Tour with Cathy Evjen.

Stella, the Normands' Bernese mountain dog, is also looking forward to greeting guests and making new friends.

“Everybody that comes, they're just all nice people," Kim said. "Gardeners are just nice people."

Proceeds from the Garden Tour will benefit local causes and nonprofits and support scholarships at North Idaho College. Artisans, vendors and musicians will be on site.

Tours are self-guided. Advance tickets are $15 — buy tickets in advance and save $5. Online ticket sales close at 5 p.m. July 9.

Tickets are sold at local businesses and garden centers.

Info: cdagardenclub.com