Unearthing the potential

One of the nicest things about older homes is that they often sit against a backdrop of well-established plants and mature trees. However, the full potential of a garden is not always apparent when remodeling.

Such was the case for the owners of this 1950s, solid brick house. Faced with the quandary of whether to renovate or bulldoze and start again, they enlisted the help of landscape designer Scott Brown.

"A large property, it was originally dominated by beautiful and established azaleas, camellias, rhododendrons and silver birches. After taking stock of their wonderful potential, we decided to integrate these plantings into a new outdoor living area and garden."

The leafy foliage of cut-leaf birches, underplanted with silver convolvulus and shore juniper, line the slate path leading to the front of the house. Here, visitors walk past a paved alfresco dining pavilion to a rectangular-shaped swimming pool.

"The original pool was outdated, with tilework that made it look very busy. A new rendered pebble interior, teamed with aqua-green waterline tiles, transforms the water into a shade of cool tranquility," says Brown. The pool's elegant, restful feeling is a complement to the home's gray plastered fae§ade and suits the overall Asian theme.

Pergolas above the spa and an alfresco dining area take their cue from the home's gabled roofline. A pergola in a similar design highlights the garage and is one in a series of linking elements. Another is the three different types of paving all in varying shades of gray that feature throughout the landscape.

Story by: Trendsideas