Bill Thoma has probably spent far more time than money in assembling his Ben Avon garden.

From the flowers to the veggies to the stone walls, a pattern of recycling and reusing prevails, starting at the front sidewalk and carrying through to the wooded boundary at the far end of his back yard.

Thoma’s garden provides a break from working construction and for Duquesne Light for the past 19 years, although he admits that he hasn’t done much with the front yard since the family moved in.