Poolside Gardens & Cabana

The geometrical relationship between the fence line and the outline of the pool deck presented various challenges and opportunities.

The pool backfill, comprised of heavily compacted red clay, formed a steep slope at the deep end of the pool and gradually tapers into flat terrain at the shallow end and beyond.

Rainwater runoff erosion mitigation and ensuring effective drainage along the fence line became the two most crucial factors in the garden design.

To combat these issues, a dry stream concept was adopted to provide rainwater drainage along the fence line. A variety of grasses strategically planted along the stream bed and up the slope will sink their roots into the ground and help mitigate future erosion.

In the upper terrace of the yard, a small, semi-circular retaining wall and brown pebble rock seating area forms the stream origination point and pathway to the cabana.

Halfway through the stream, the garden visitor arrives at a poolside cabana which overlooks a rose garden where a medium-sized boulder sits amongst the swaying grasses and points upward - symbolizing the duality of movement and stillness, calm in the midst of chaos, and creative expression as a result of inward reflection.