From deck to pool, this lavish contemporary garden provides the complete holiday-at-home experience
We all like a little luxury … and that extends to our outdoor living and entertaining spaces. When we step outside, we want to feel as if we’re taking a mini vacation. And when we gather around the outdoor dining table or take a dip in the pool, we want to be transported — even if it’s only for a short time — far away from the bustle of daily life.
The owners of this garden in the southern Sydney suburb of Dolans Bay can enjoy that holiday-at-home experience any time they like, thanks to the construction expertise of Glenn Simpson Landscapes. When the Glenn Simpson team came on board, a basic design had been outlaid, however as work progressed, this changed dramatically to deliver this relaxed but luxurious garden.
The home is located in an exclusive residential area and as it was a new build, the owners wanted to ensure the landscape would have the right blend of comfort, style and functionality. From the well-orchestrated symphony of textures to the select fittings, every element of this garden has been chosen — and executed — with enormous care.
The choice of materials was critical to the success of this project, which also saw Glenn Simpson Landscapes create a new front entry and driveway. Travertine was used for paving in the pool and outdoor shower areas, the stepping stones throughout the property, as well as the front entrance steps and porch. Sandstone edging was used for the raised planter near the pool and as feature edging for the garden beds on the upper lawn terrace.
Spotted gum timber decking was used for the entertaining area, adding an element of warmth. This is reinforced by the 1.8m-high merbau vertical-slat privacy screens that run along one side of the garden and block the neighbours’ view into the property. For variation and visual interest, different retaining walls were built out of different materials: rendered concrete, timber and masonry blocks, along with sandstone feature cladding.
The planting palette has a traditional feel yet perfectly complements — and softens — the strong lines of the mainly modern design. Pittosporum ‘Variegata’ and Murraya paniculata were used for hedging, Fraxinus and Robinia pseudocacacia ‘Frisia’ as feature planting, Viburnum odoratissimum and Pittosporum ‘Gold Sheen’ as screening and Trachelospermum ‘Tricolour’ as groundcover.
The family now have the luxurious garden they dreamed of — a place where they can relax or entertain in style and comfort.
For more information
Originally in Outdoor Design & Living, Volume 34
