In a landscape, "echoes" refer to design elements that repeat or mirror each other to create a sense of harmony, continuity, and balance. Outdoor Craftsmen’s team of designers has long employed their … Read More about Designing “echoes” into the landscape
Tasset Residence
The Landscape
Go big or go bigger. The homeowners are in awe of their own property because the landscape is so much better than they ever imagined or knew they could have. That’s owing to outside-the-box-thinking and knowledgeable landscape design solutions that brought this property to life and ticked off every box (and more!) on the owner’s wish list.
Most importantly, a complete landscape re-do introduced a fresh new energy to all areas of the environment.
The lay of the land and newly constructed pool house called for a minimalist approach to trees and plantings, and maximalism on priority features and elemental details. This is now the place everyone wants to be, and the owners are thrilled.
Formerly a flat, open, exposed space with an existing rectangular pool and non-descript plantings, the remodeled environment now boasts a fun and fabulous landscape with features like a backyard mountain and water slide and an enormous putting green. Asian-inspired specimen trees and perennials provide privacy and don’t compete with the other elements of the landscape.
The pièce de résistance is the mountain is constructed from 200 tons of Colorado Gray Granite and supports the water slide. It was designed to fit snugly in an awkward, limited space between pool and septic and is both centers and grounds the entire property. It is a remarkable feat of landscape design expertise and engineering, and a suitable and fitting addition to the property to create privacy, and a sense of a cooler, reflective space, replacing a formerly harsh and arid landscape.
The impressive putting green includes a sod bunker and top-of-the-line lighting (fully automatable for evening golf - the cups are lit too).
Hand-selected mishappen flagstones combined with decking surround the pool - an important landscape design decision that fixed a previous construction flaw with the pool. And in a moment of whimsy, shapes made of synthetic grass draw the eye to the putting green beyond while cleverly and quietly creating a moment of ‘wow’.
Highlights
- - Fantastic space for kids and friends to enjoy – enhances community and provides a natural gathering spot
- - Tricky geometry and extra planning - an irregular turf disguises how the pool relates to the pool house
- - Design decisions intentionally draw the eye away from a pre-existing pool positioning flaw with
- - A very hot space with southern exposure is now green, cool, and refreshing
- - Masterful outdoor lighting throughout the outdoor areas, but especially impressive in the putting green
- - Unique specimen evergreens, Japanese maple, and other plantings that aren’t fussy or high maintenance were used minimally. Plant materials are showpieces in their own right and were sourced from all over the country
- - Strong modern architecture dictated minimalist plantings with spectacular outdoor features
- - Collaborated with pool house architects to ensure the landscape design works seamlessly with the new building
"Our expectations for the project have been far exceeded in every way – the design, installation, plant selection and quality, the skill of the crews, and the quality of service."
- Alan and Stephanie Greenberg