Design by PDLA Architects Construction by Change of Scenery Landscapes

A beautifully designed family home is never complete without amazing landscaping.

Stage 1 – Design
The clients worked together with our recommended landscape designer for this project, PDLA Landscape Architects, their chosen local concrete pool builder, Outback Pools, and our Landscape team to create a design to thoroughly complement a modern architecturally designed family home.

Design scope and considerations to include were a large family swimming pool to look down on from the home and large covered entertaining deck. We were asked to maintain the large usable lawn areas to suit the young and energetic family who love to spend time outside whilst creating some relaxing space for reading, sitting, chilling and entertaining.

The design was well thought out to provide a functional and usable landscaped backyard. Allowing for creative features to be included providing the client with an amazing and aesthetically pleasing backyard.

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Stage 2 – Construction
Our team worked closely with pool builder Outback Pools to provide some initial excavation works to the perimeter due to the large Eucalyptus tree on the neighboring property which needed to be protected throughout the entire build phase.

Root zone protection was managed as per instructions from specialist arborists reports and council details. The pool was excavated, prepared, and installed. During the concrete curing time, our team completed the retaining walls, steps, and final site levels. We worked shopped some alterations to the landscape design plan with the clients as the project started to take shape. The creativity never stopped, and the result was truly magnificent.

The construction worked involved creating new access from an existing timber deck with two sets of timber steps. Sandstone flagging and marble paving for the floor finishes.
Sandstone log sitting benches, sandstone steppers, and steps to lawn level. Timber privacy fencing, Eko Deck pool decking with a hidden pool cover. Concrete block retaining walls with marble paver capping and sawn sandstone capping to the garden walls. Sandstone lawn edging and new “palmetto” buffalo turf.

 

A full range of plants, feature trees, hedging, underplanting, and ground covers. Garden beds were finished with premium soil and hardwood mulch to ensure healthy plant growth and maintain soil moisture and temperature.

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Stage 3 – Maintain
The design for this project took into consideration the need for a reasonably easy and maintainable garden. Some hedging required a few times each year. The plants selected were selected with their ideal growing heights to ensure they will not get out of control. Feature trees that require minimal work to maintain their perfect shape and the ground covers chosen as well as the other varieties of under planting will require little attention at all.

 

A good feed of all plants in the growing season will ensure they maintain general health and vigor. Regular watering is achievable with the large hidden water tank under the deck which will allow them to water all year long as needed.

Mulch levels should be maintained at a generous depth of 50-75mm to maintain soil moisture and temperature and to keep out any unwanted weeds. As the mulch breaks down it will also provide the plants with much-needed nutrients and will help with the microorganisms in the soil for better soil health.

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