Kellyville, Sydney NSW
Escape
The garden was formed using the obvious lines of the land that was left by the new homes build shape. The home was designed yes but with no consideration of the land abound, the pool was designed yes but with no consideration of the land abound and so on.
We had to work with some very important assets and that being the home and the pool and the elements abound re-designed making the home, the pool and the garden carry the feel of it being designed by one person so bringing completeness and removing the sharper edges.
Hover over the image to see the before and after photos
The Back Story
A relatively new home in the suburb of Kellyville with an existing pool and cabana placed as they all too often are with little regard to their adjoining elements. The owners of the home wanted to get home and go into the back garden to allow them to feel they were somewhere else and dream.
We had to evaluate where their escape was and quickly the discussion drifted to parts of the world that embraced tranquillity, undertone of tropical lands yet a garden that didn’t make the owners a slave to the garden. Another very real passion was the love of roses. Yes, roses and tropical not quickly considered elements of partnering.
The Challenge
The challenges where:
- Adopting existing hard structures and their placement.
- A triangulated piece of land.
- Making the garden seem larger than it is.
- Removing the gardens designed segmented feel so giving a sense of space supremacy.
OUR SOLUTION
The key features to the garden are the ones that tie each room together either visually or physically. Having needed to use the pool and Cabana we had to create a way of making them belong to each other and the rest of the garden. It was important to remove that often-seen plonked design approach. From this, the approach of giving the cabana the sense of an outstretched arm beckoning you was very important.
The water wall cascading down, into and around a seemingly floating set of steppers allowing the water to spill straight into the pool. This in itself brought these main elements together.
From this central heartbeat of the garden we were able to feather the design out with hidden paths through the grove of bamboos, grasses and an avery offering the garden a great setting. The sound of nature was produced by various parrot species and aided in merging the outdoor dining room and its flooring with this outdoor escape.
A garden where no one element stood out for supremacy but in harmony with each other even down to the side decked path and its curved journey pushing your eye along a trajectory through the bamboos. It visually pushes the canes apart looking through to what is beyond. As you walk along this path other elements become stronger and you start to pick up on sound from the running water and the not so common call of wildlife within the garden itself. Following the deck onto the paving as the water fall is pulling you closer, you realise that you could have actually walked through the bamboo thicket. Stepping across the water over the pavers you find yourself able to sit down, stop and gorge your eyes on the many facets the garden holds.
A word from the client
A tour of the finished Result
Testimonial
“Wow we wished we had called Chris years ago. Our first meeting with Chris went for quite some time with many questions being asked to determine how we wanted to use the garden, what needed to stay and what could go. We immediately felt comfortable with Chris and we knew after that meeting that we were going to get the garden we always wanted.
We were overwhelmed when Chris arrived with the first draft of a design. We could not believe what we were seeing. We were so excited when Chris explained that what he had designed was achievable. Finally we were going to get an amazing backyard that met our needs and suited our lifestyle. The paper work was completed, the contracts were signed and the work began. Every day when we came home from work we were amazed at what had been done. I even started a blog documenting the work that had been completed each day. Day by day the garden was transforming into reality. We have to say that Chris is very pedantic and there were some works that we were happy with, however Chris believed that there were some minor items that were not up to the standard of Chris Slaughter. We are forever grateful for Chris’s expertise as the end result was a truly amazing garden.
We kept family and friends away during the transformation so that we could hold a BBQ to unveil our new garden. It was priceless to see their jaws drop as they stepped into the back yard. Chris had done it. Chris had not only created a garden that we loved, but also one that had amazed all our friends and family. We treasure the garden that we have and spend as much time as we can relaxing and enjoying the surroundings.
I highly recommend Chris Slaughter from Scenic Blue Design. Just one visit from Chris and you will understand what I mean. Chris makes the whole process easy and simple. He took us through our project step by step and we knew exactly what was happening throughout the entire project. I would do it again in a heartbeat.”
David & Christine – Kellyville Ridge.
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