Centrepiece

Awell-planned garden should flow from soft to hard landscaping. The patio and fireplace shown here work as a linking element while providing an attractive feature.

Craig Steiner's brief for this garden was to complement the traditional villa and create an easy flow from the home's French doors down to two separate areas.

"In keeping with the era of the home, we opted for a formal garden with box hedges, traditional-style sandstone paving and a classic pool," says Steiner. "With the villa 600mm above the two garden areas, the introduction of a central patio softened the drop in elevation to the garden. It also created an ideal spot for entertaining."

Steiner built a large, contemporary fireplace as a feature on the patio. This complements the formal lines of the surrounding garden and makes the patio an inviting gathering place all year round.

"Symmetry was important throughout the design, so the fireplace is situated directly opposite the home's French doors," he says. "Its broad chimney is in proportion with the three-bay fireplace and is built up into the tree canopy to soften the lines and avoid appearing overpowering."

The fireplace features a gas log burner that is utilised until the logs catch fire. This eliminates the need for kindling and ensures an easy start in damp weather.

Viewed from the villa's French doors, to the left is a formal garden, complete with a traditionally shaped pool. To the right, over iron gates, lies the children's lawn area, with the patio offering a commanding view of both.

As well as its formal lines and flow, the garden offers practical advantages. For example, the lawn running right up to the pool coping is planted in a sandy earth to prevent it turning to mud with splashes from the pool.

"Among traditional plantings, such as roses and lavender, a lemon tree provides fruit for evening drinks," says Steiner. "From the box hedging to the Kentia palms and Eugenia Waterhousia, the flora has been chosen to ensure the garden looks fresh all year round."

Story by: Trendsideas