There always seems to be some kind of celebration at Serenbe. Last weekend was no exception with the opening of the new Ryan Gainey-designed Selbourne courtyard adjacent to the Blue Eyed Daisy Bakeshop and the acknowledgment of the Daisy’s certification by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEEDS).

Taking the best of both worlds is clearly the idea inside the courtyard. It flows from the back door of the Blue Eyed Daisy, through homes and townhomes to an overlook of the tree-filled greenspace that typifies Serenbe. As bright skies overhead gave way to twilight, the crowd grew, filling the courtyard, the Blue Eyed Daisy and the gallery at Studio Swan.

Present at the event, long-time gardner, poet and designer, Gainey once said of Serenbe that, “We can take the best from both worlds without taking the city from the country or deserting the country for the city. We can again possess the spirit and passion of life. The romantic nuances of our agrarian past can merge with our contemporary ideas and create tomorrow’s dream.”

The occasion Saturday evening also provided a presentation of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certification to the Blue Eyed Daisy and a time to honor LEED team members Steve Nygren, Randy Miller, Paul Bartos, Smith Hanes and Brenda Morawa.

“Buildings in the U.S. account for approximately 48 percent of our greenhouse gas emissions and are major contributors to water and natural resource challenges,” said Southface Energy Institute Executive Director Dennis Creech. “The LEED green building program is making impressive gains with larger commercial buildings, however progress has been slow with small commercial buildings. This is unfortunate as approximately 70 percent of all commercial buildings are small. They are corner stores, doctors offices, dry cleaners and restaurants that people visit daily. The Blue Eyed Daisy at Serenbe showcases how we can make smaller buildings affordable to operate, healthy and environmentally friendly, as well as charming spaces that people love to visit.”

No celebration and practically no event at Serenbe would be complete without live music. Saturday was no exception. Throughout the evening the courtyard was filled with the music of Johnny Mosier and Ryan Taylor of Little Green Chairs.

Inside the Blue Eyed Daisy, manager Angie Mosier and chef Nicolas Bour were busy with the overflow crowd that came for the event. Bour will be taking over when Mosier ends her tenure at the Daisy later this month.

And next door at Studio Swan, owner Thomas Swanston greeted guests, unveiling even more treasures for which the gallery is becoming known.

The celebration continued as the veil of night descended over the community. Serenbe Communications Director Tucker Berta made sure candles were lit throughout the courtyard, as if to pull stars from the nighttime sky to illuminate the surroundings.

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