Overview

The design and construction of this pool and landscape incorporates a formal rectangle pool and spa centred on the home while the surrounding landscape design softens the formality of the overall space with curved bench seating and rockery outcrops with ground-cover plants to soften all hard edges.

Previous project

The property was an existing home and contractor Natures Best Landscapes (founded by Erin Green Designs) had completed a swimming pool and full landscape project for the owners’ previous property in Surrey Hills Victoria.

In regard to this project, they engaged Erin Green Designs to view the property prior to their purchasing it to get an understanding of what could be achieved for their now forever home.

The new site – a negative becomes a positive

The new site for the pool and surrounds was rolling lawn continuing down into quite a steep area that was basically unusable and hard to maintain.

In fact, the property falls away rapidly into a natural water course and the owners even have a goat that maintains the land despite its inaccessibility.

However, we turned the fact that the site was sloping dramatically into a positive – using the taller pool walls on the lower side to form part of the pool barrier.

Unobstructed views

The property has views out across the bay back to the Melbourne CBD and as the land sloped away, the pool’s higher lower edges allowed us to remove pool fencing that would have obstructed the view.

At the same time, this allowed for a much better site flow – with the pool interacting with the surrounding garden.

Solid footing

To achieve these levels, some extensive engineering was required including installing bored piers to the floor of the swimming pool to ensure it is safely secured into solid ground.

Entertainment and shade

The home already had a dated indoor pool that wasn’t being used and this had been a real eyesore – so this was covered over and reinvented as a lounge area/pool house that over looks the pool and allows the owners to sit undercover out of the sun but still enjoy the pool surrounds .

We have also created a paved area to the side of the swimming pool that is west facing for those who are looking to enjoy the afternoon sun.

Its proximity to the spa also allows great social interaction with guests or family having a soak.

Fire pit

Being a semi rural / lifestyle property, our homeowners also requested a firepit area.

In response, we incorporated an informal firepit area that consists of honey granite rocks that were required, given the sloping nature of the ground, to retain the garden behind with rock steps and stepping stones with ground cover throughout.

Bench – dual functionality

An in-situ circular concrete bench with LED strip lighting underneath lights up the garden and surrounding space while at the same time creating a cosy, intimate area for socialising around the fire.

Landscape plantings – informality balances structure

The planting scheme of Myoporum parvifolium, Scenerio serpens and Zoysia grass creates a lush informal feel to the space while Westringia fruticosa, clipped into spheres, provides structure.

Atmospheric and wayfinding lighting

The project’s garden lighting consists of Hydra AQL-416 Inground Hooded Bollards, from Aqualux – providing surrounding lighting to step treads and pathways.

In addition, Hydra AQL-455 Eco Spike lights, also from Aqualux, are used for uplights into surrounding trees.

The aforementioned LED strip lighting tucked under the concrete bench lights the fire pit space with soft ambient lighting.