Gene and Joni Peters love to travel, but every time they pull out of their driveway, they ask, “Now, why are we leaving again?”

That’s because their property on Dunlap Lake in Edwardsville is a private paradise that gives them just as much pleasure as scenic vacation spots around the world.

The Peters are getting a pat on the back this month in the form of a Green Thumb Award from Edwardsville Beautification and Tree Commission.