На фото: большой участок и сад на заднем дворе в морском стиле с перегородкой для приватности, полуденной тенью и мульчированием

The owner of the charming family home wanted to cover the old pool deck converted into an outdoor patio to add a dried and shaded area outside the home. This newly covered deck should be resistant, functional, and large enough to accommodate friends or family gatherings without a pole blocking the splendid river view.

When I came to this property not only was the landscape a scrappy mess the property also had some very real grading and drainage issues that were jeopardizing the safety of this house. As recent transplants from New Jerseys to Southern California these clients were in awe of all the plants they were seeing in their neighborhood. Living on the water at the Ventura harbor they wanted to be able to take full advantage or the outdoor lifestyle and cool ocean breeze. Being environmentally conscious citizens, these clients were very concerned that their garden was designed with sustainability as a leading factor. As they said in our initial consultation, “Would want or garden be part of the solution not part of the problem.” This property is the last house on the bottom of a gently sloping street. All the water from the neighbor’s houses drain onto this property. When I came into this project the back yard sloped into the house. When it would rain the water would pool up against the house causing water damage. To address the drainage we employed several tactics. Firstly, we had to invert the slope in the back yard so that water would not pool against the house. We created a very minor slope going away from the house so that water drains away but so the patio area feels flat. The back of the back yard had an existing retaining wall made out of shabby looking slump stone. In front of that retaining wall we created a beautiful natural stone retaining wall. This retain wall severs many purposes. One it works as a place to put some of the soil removed from the grading giving this project a smaller carbon foot print (moving soil of a site burns a lot of fossil fuel). The retaining wall also helps obscure the shabby existing retaining wall and allows for planting space above the footing from the existing retaining wall. The soil behind the ne retaining wall is slightly lower than the top of the wall so that when the run on water on from the neighbor’s property flows it is slowed down and absorbed before it has a chance to get near the house. Finally, the wall is at a height designed to serve as overflow seating as these clients intend to have occasional large parties and gatherings. Other efforts made to help keep the house safe and dry are that we used permeable paving. With the hardscape being comprised of flag stone with gravel in-between water has a chance to soak into the ground so it does not flow into spots where it will pool up. The final element to help keep the house dry is the addition of infiltration swales. Infiltration swales are depressions in the landscape that capture rain water. The down spouts on the sides of the houses are connected to pipe that goes under the ground and conveys the water to the swales. In this project it helps move rain water away from the house. In general, these Infiltration swales are a powerful element in creating sustainable landscapes. These swales capture pollutants that accumulate on the roof and in the landscape. Biology in the soil in the swales can break down these pollutants. When run of watered is not captured by soil on a property the dirty water flows into water ways and then the ocean were the biology that breaks down the pollutants is not as prolific. This is particularly important in this project as it drains directly into the harbor. The water that is absorbed in to the swales can replenish aquafers as well as increasing the water available to the plants planted in that area recusing the amount of water that is needed from irrigation. When it came to the planting we went with a California friendly tropical theme. Using lots of succulents and plants with colorful foliage we created vibrant lush landscape that will have year around color. We planted densely (the images in the picture were taken only a month after installation). Taller drought tolerant plants to help regulate the temperature and loss of water from the plants below them. The dense plantings will help keep the garden, the house and even the neighborhood cooler on hot days, will provide spaces for birds to enjoy and will create an illusion of depth in a somewhat narrow space. Today this garden is a space these homeowners can fully enjoy while having the peace of mind that their house is protected from flooding and they are helping the environment.

Surrounding a stunning black and white-clad multi-storey weatherboard home in Auckland’s Remuera was a garden that was somewhat lacking in vigour. It consisted of planting, some larger trees, and a lack of flow, character or consistency. So when the clients, a retired couple, decided to rejuvenate their tired outdoor space, they approached Zones Landscaping specialist Kate Ryan. Kate’s brief was to create something stunning and vibrant with a tropical resort feel. Set against the striking black and white exterior of this home, the planting needed to be bold yet considered to have the desired effect. Bursts of colour throughout the planting help to tie the overall scheme together and create the striking element sought in the original brief. “We used a lot of sub-tropical plants – birds of paradise for the orange colour, giant bromeliad for their rusty red colour, and lots of greens and yellows as well as rain lilies, which when in flower will create a blanket of white.” The house is located down a long, shared driveway so importance was placed on creating character at the main pedestrian entranceway to the home. Kate managed the initial brief, design phase and then the landscaping itself through until delivery, with the project delivered on time and on budget to clients who say they are thrilled with the modern, striking planting and impressive entranceway. The special feature designed in corten steel is the entrance gate and fence. This mirrored the pattern in the garage door and added a unique feature. A back lit corten cut out of the house numbers adds a perfect addition for the entrance. The clients love this look coming into the property.

Showcasing: *Concrete pads with pebbles in between *Layered planting with succulents and pops of tropical plants *Custom horizontal wood fencing
Свежая идея для дизайна: участок и сад среднего размера на переднем дворе в морском стиле с перегородкой для приватности, полуденной тенью, мощением тротуарной плиткой и с деревянным забором - отличное фото интерьера

Пример оригинального дизайна: большой естественный бассейн произвольной формы на заднем дворе в морском стиле с перегородкой для приватности и настилом

На фото: терраса среднего размера на заднем дворе, на втором этаже в морском стиле с перегородкой для приватности и перилами из смешанных материалов без защиты от солнца с

After front yard including new concrete pavers, new palms, new trees, new plants, new sod.
Пример оригинального дизайна: солнечный, летний регулярный сад среднего размера на переднем дворе в морском стиле с перегородкой для приватности, хорошей освещенностью и мощением тротуарной плиткой

Пример оригинального дизайна: солнечный, летний засухоустойчивый сад среднего размера на заднем дворе в морском стиле с перегородкой для приватности, хорошей освещенностью и мощением тротуарной плиткой

Пример оригинального дизайна: большой участок и сад на склоне в морском стиле с подъездной дорогой, перегородкой для приватности и с деревянным забором

Стильный дизайн: огромный солнечный, летний регулярный сад на заднем дворе в морском стиле с перегородкой для приватности, хорошей освещенностью, мощением тротуарной плиткой и с каменным забором - последний тренд

Источник вдохновения для домашнего уюта: балкон и лоджия в морском стиле с перегородкой для приватности

Идея дизайна: лоджия среднего размера в морском стиле с навесом и перегородкой для приватности

We created this enchanting tropical oasis for our Rose Bay client. They wanted to create a welcoming feeling for their family and guests with a touch of Balinese tropical design. We achieved this by building a beautiful curved timber path and surrounding it by lush tropical plants punctuated by some stone sculptures.

На фото: большой участок и сад на склоне в морском стиле с подъездной дорогой, перегородкой для приватности и с деревянным забором

Стильный дизайн: засухоустойчивый сад среднего размера на заднем дворе в морском стиле с перегородкой для приватности, полуденной тенью, мощением клинкерной брусчаткой и с каменным забором - последний тренд

Идея дизайна: маленький балкон и лоджия в морском стиле с перегородкой для приватности, навесом и перилами из тросов для на участке и в саду

Halton Pardee
Стильный дизайн: терраса в морском стиле с металлическими перилами и перегородкой для приватности без защиты от солнца - последний тренд

Идея дизайна: терраса на заднем дворе, на втором этаже в морском стиле с перегородкой для приватности, навесом и стеклянными перилами