Before

The clients had already completed a full villa renovation and now wanted their garden to reflect the same standard and better suit their family’s lifestyle. The garden already featured a beautiful existing pool installed by the previous owners, as well as a newly added Cape Reed gazebo. Along the perimeter walls was a raised planter filled with a mix of plants: some healthy and attractive specimens, some good plants placed in unsuitable locations and therefore struggling. There was a disconnect caused by inexperienced garden maintenance persons who filled spaces with robust plants and trees without proper thought or consideration for placement and long-term harmony.

Poor site grading was a key issue, particularly in the area between the pool and the residence; the lack of a proper slope led to water pooling directly in front of the living room's sliding doors and although they loved their new gazebo, they felt it didn’t connect well with the rest of the garden.

Concept

The design concept revolves around transforming the client's outdoor space into a bespoke, natural backyard retreat, specifically tailored to their love for swimming, entertaining, and the outdoors. The vision is to seamlessly blend tropical and African-inspired elements, creating an immersive experience that is both beautiful and highly functional.

Key elements of the proposed design include:

  • Seamless Indoor-Outdoor Flow: A continuous wooden deck will run from the Livingroom sliding doors, alongside the pool, and connect directly to the existing gazebo, ensuring a smooth, dry transition and unifying the entire space.

  • Dedicated Entertainment Hubs: The functionality of the gazebo will be extended with the addition of a built-in kitchen area. A separate, wilderness-inspired firepit zone with informal boulder seating will be introduced to provide diverse areas for relaxation and socializing.

  • Organic Landscape Design: To soften the existing rectangular lawn footprint, curving garden beds will frame the new entertainment areas, providing a more grounded and organic feel to the overall layout.

  • Harmonious Planting Palette: The planting scheme will combine the lush aesthetics of Bali with the sub-tropical character of the South African Lowveld, resulting in a unique, harmonious, and inspiring natural environment that complements the family’s lifestyle and home.


Result

Coming soon.