This Mosman outdoor design has shown how renovating both entry and rear gardens can completely transform a whole home
The outdoor spaces that wrap around this home in Mosman on Sydney’s Lower North Shore have undergone a complete transformation. Thanks to the construction expertise and design savvy of Barrowar Pty Ltd, this Mosman outdoor design has been transformed both front and back – modern formal front garden now has masses of curb appeal and the rear garden is a family-friendly slice of paradise with a tropical twist.
“The brief from the owner was to create an entranceway at the front of the property that would have plenty of street appeal and to transform the swimming pool area at the rear of the property into an inviting outdoor entertaining area,” explains Barrowar founder Colin Bell who co-designed the outdoor spaces with Steven Tenellis.
For the front garden, they decided upon a semi-formal design that would be in keeping with the streetscape. This can be seen in the neatly clipped Murraya hedges that flank the wide path leading to the front door and border the lawn as well as in the ram-rod straight pencil pines and manicured Buxus hedging in the raised planter that runs alongside the driveway. In spring, the Murraya hedge is covered in sweet-smelling tiny white blooms.
In the rear garden, the look is much more relaxed and has a holiday-at-home vibe. The design leans towards the tropical with golden cane palms rising up from the built-in planters formed around the pool area. The palms add height and movement.
“Great care was taken when choosing and laying the paving materials,” says Colin. “Sandstone slabs were used for the front garden paths and pool surrounds. This stone is a classic choice that is as equally suited to a more formal landscape as it is a resort-style or modern outdoor design.
“For interest, the paving around the pool has a mosaic border made from broken sandstone pieces while for contrast, granite was used for the pool coping. The speckled Italian granite was especially made to order,” explains Colin. “The sandstone slabs we sourced from India and then applied a Stain-Proof sealant to ensure ease of maintenance and longevity.”
While laying the paving and coping was a straightforward process, the steps in the rear garden were out of square so the Barrowar construction team had to offset the treads to rectify the problem. Equal care was taken when constructing the front fence, which is comprised of varnished hardwood slats framed by black powdercoated steel set between rendered brick piers. The fencing adds a modern touch to the largely traditional front garden design.
Barrowar specialises in hard and soft landscaping works, earthworks, soil preparations, paving and revegetation services. While the company has an impressive track record working on large commercial landscapes, Colin and his team also have extensive experience in residential landscaping.
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This project is an entrant in the Outdoor Design 2022 NSW Landscaper of the Year Awards, celebrating residential design innovation and construction excellence. All entrants were featured in Outdoor Design Issue 42, with winners to be announced in Outdoor Design Issue 43.
