Setting with stone

A successful landscape design is usually cohesive linking areas seamlessly, complementing the home, and providing functional outdoor entertaining areas.

In the case of this six-year-old home, used by its owners as a secondary residence, it was landscape designer Gregg Chapman's careful selection of rock cladding that was the material that bound together the various parts of the project.

The resulting design comprises a new courtyard, pool, spa, outdoor kitchen, water features and low-maintenance gardens.

"Previously, it was a small lawn sloping down towards the tennis court that connected the upper level and the tennis court," says Chapman. "However, one of the client's specific requests, along with a pool with a horizon edge, was for better access between the lower tennis court and the upper areas."

Long and linear, the new pool sits on a terrace midway between the upper and lower level. Black granite stairs connect the courtyard adjacent to the house to this area, before descending again to the tennis court below.

"A pool, with a horizon edge, and spa were specific requests," says Chapman. "One of the owners particularly wanted to be able to swim to the edge of the pool and chat with whoever is playing tennis."

Finished in glass mosaic tiles, and lit with green LED lights, the pool takes on a luminous appearance at night. Blue LEDs installed in the nearby water features also give the landscape a visual lift at night.

A treatment of stone wall cladding was applied to some of the home's existing walls, as well as the wall down the side of the pool, and the existing planters, Chapman says.

"This rock cladding ties the landscape with the house, so overall, the landscape doesn't look disjointed, or like an add on. Another benefit of the design is that with the raised position of the pool, and the 1.2m-high stone wall alongside the boundary, only one glass balustrade was needed to fence off the pool from the home."

To open up the entertaining zone next to the house, a hedge, which obstructed views, was removed from the rectangular planter beside the courtyard. This planter was reused, and now forms a sculptural water feature, with concrete spheres.

Although the site of the home is too big to be completely dependant on tank water, a rainwater tank was installed. This reduces the burden on the public supply, and provides water for the selection of hardy, wind-tolerant plants, including yukkas, cycads and agaves, that were chosen.

Story by: Trendsideas