Walking out the door just became a special experience for these clients. Keeping the existing stone for the dining area to stay true to the house and property, we merged the old rustic with stunning new bluestone. Drawn immediately to the wood fire pizza oven, set on a polished concrete benchtop, cooking for your guests and family just became even more enjoyable with the new garden view to appreciate. The herb garden is an easy arm’s length away to add fresh to the pizzas… Bellissimo!

Take a grand stroll up the curved bluestone stairs and be met with a large lush lawn, where nature meets the stone. The naturally sloping lawn area provides space for bocce, cricket, picnics in summer… the options are endless.

Walking along to the building at the rear which hosts a home gymnasium for all your fitness needs, random pattern bluestone leads you past the storage room built to match the style of the home. Following the winding path surrounded by ornamental pear trees on the left, you are greeted with peach and gala apple trees on the right, paying homage to the apple orchid that once resided on this property. This garden leads you to a gate to enter the front yard which is a plant and lighting art piece to compliment the house architecture.

Returning to the backyard, drawn in by the spectacular custom design and built-in stone seating, take a seat and stay awhile. The flames of the generously sized fire pit will keep a large group of friends warm all night! The concrete top doubles as a seat providing extra warmth, and comfort when toasting marsh mellows. Surrounded by gardens, the fence is lined with mature Ficus Hilli. These trees were transported all the way from North Queensland and flourished quickly as they settled into their new home in Templestowe. Although it’s hard to leave the warmth of the flames, the spa awaits.

The large pool surrounded by bluestone paving faces the new pool house. Shutters allow for sun or shade to enter as you please, and a fan was installed for hot sticky days and nights. Feature lights shine beautifully down the stack stone wall, with an opening providing a garden view. The trickling sounds coming from the natural water feature on one side provide a soothing effect to the space to restore balance and provide a retreat away from the busyness of life. Combining that with the sounds or music of your choice playing through the installed speakers, any mood can be created. From chilling out reading a good book poolside to rocking pool parties, the possibilities are infinite. The timber screens lining the pool bring the wall height up, so when you walk down the stairs leading to the extended driveway, an area for basketball has been created. Cherry Blossoms have been used as a feature tree throughout the property, providing a stunning surprise come Spring.

This project is a perfect example of what can be done with landscape design to enhance your lifestyle. Increasing connection and community with an array of entertainment areas, restoring balance with areas to chill and listen to nature, a mindful walk through the garden oasis to admire the beauty of the plants, a soothing swim, the list goes on. We worked closely with our client to create this space and now they can sit back and enjoy La Dolce Vita

Photography: Tim Turner Photographer