Page 154 - Australian House & Garden (January 2020)

COOL & CALM

Stylish materials, a pared-back plant palette and a glorious feature tree

combine to set the scene for this plunge-perfect swimming spot.

STORY Elizabeth Wilson | PHOTOGRAPHY Anson Smart

n a hot summer’s day, few things offer relief like a shady rotten and needed replacing; ditto the tea-tree fencing. There was
swimming hole. The owners of this Sydney garden couldn’t no safety fence between the house and the pool and there were
Oagree more. Their backyard pool is shaded by the spreading scattered, unrelated plantings. The owners enlisted Sophie Greive
canopy of a beautiful jacaranda, its long, sculptural boughs spanning from Think Outside Gardens to give it the revamp it needed.

the width of the water. The tree’s reflection mirrored on the pool’s dark, Sophie renewed all key surfaces, replacing the pine decking with
silky surface creates a picturesque backdrop for alfresco entertaining. stained spotted gum. For the pool edge, she selected a mid-grey
This sanctuary radiates ‘cool’, thanks to a recent refurbishment. vitrified tile to tone in with the existing dark turquoise pool tiles.
Following the renovation of their home, the owners realised their New boundary fencing went in, painted a custom charcoal colour
back garden and pool needed an update too. The decking was so it visually recedes behind the plantings. Glass safety fencing was