Twist on tradition

Whether a back yard is big or small, it is always important to maximize available space. For this suburban home, an extensive interior remodel created an opportunity to landscape a large, disused area at the back and reclaim it for family and friends to enjoy.

Gudrun Fischer, landscape designer at Outdoor Design, created the concept with the homeowners, and designer Sam Lockie of Landscape Transformations developed the design and oversaw the completion of the project.

"The house is a bungalow, with a formal garden at the front. We wanted to change this at the back, introducing a more tropical style, and blending the two styles to create a relaxed, yet appropriate style of planting," says Lockie.

"We gave this area a modern twist, while retaining the softer, traditional style of the house. It was also imperative that the space had a modern functionality."

The homeowners wanted Fischer to create a sitting area that reflected the deck of their boat, so bench seating was installed on either side of the flueless outdoor fireplace. A pergola that overhangs the spa has design features seen on the exterior of the house, such as a door with a mullioned window, and fretwork architraves.

As the homeowners have teenage children, they wanted to create multiple intimate areas for socializing, that would also accommodate a larger crowd if necessary. Accordingly, the design allows the back porch to be used separately from the seating area around the fireplace, which in turn is set apart from the pool.

Ensuring all the different elements in the space would fit together in a way that was both proportional and practical was another issue for the designers. "The pool house had to conceal pumps and electrical wiring, but without overwhelming the area. We wanted it to be both multifunctional and in proportion to the seating area, spa and the pool," says Lockie.

Graceful kentia palms throughout the back garden give the space a relaxed feel. Hibiscus flowers create shrubbery at the back of the pool, and camellias border the lawn.

"We wanted to inject life and character into the space," says Lockie. "Most importantly, the area had to be used to its full potential."

Story by: Lydia Brewer