unlocking the potential of your backyard
It’s often the overlooked corners of a garden that hold the most potential.
The side passage that is simply used to get from A to B. The forgotten pocket behind the house. The area that has never quite felt connected to the rest of the garden. These spaces may not seem particularly inspiring at first glance, but with thoughtful landscape design, they can become some of the most inviting and well-used parts of your outdoor space.
Our recently completed Bundall backyard renovation is a beautiful example of just that.
creating connection through the garden
One of the key elements of this garden upgrade was the introduction of a new pathway connecting the front yard, pool and tennis court zones with the side and rear gardens.
While the path needed to serve a very practical purpose: providing safe, even and comfortable access between the garden, parked vehicles and garage, we didn’t want it to feel purely functional.
Large-format pavers were paired with decorative pebble to create a pathway that feels relaxed and inviting, while allowing it to sit naturally within the surrounding landscape. Contemporary tropical planting now frames the pathway, with low-growing ground covers introduced around the pavers. As these plants establish and spread, they will soften the hard edges and create pockets of green between and alongside the pathway, seamlessly integrating with the garden over time.
It’s a simple example of one of the principles we return to often in landscape design: the practical elements of a garden don’t need to feel separate from the beautiful ones.
transforming an unused corner into a wellness retreat
Perhaps the biggest transformation, however, happened in a previously under utilised part of the backyard. Rather than allowing this area to remain a space that was simply passed by, we saw an opportunity to give it a new purpose by creating a dedicated sauna and wellness zone nestled within the garden.
The new sauna features beautiful large windows overlooking the newly planted tropical garden. Instead of the sauna feeling like an object placed into the backyard, the surrounding landscape becomes part of the experience. Lush foliage fills the outlook from within, enhancing the feeling of privacy, serenity and relaxation.
Nearby, three large galvanised steel rings planted with feature trees provide another layer to the design. Their placement helps create a sense of privacy around the wellness zone while also establishing strong focal points when viewed from elsewhere in the garden.
This means the space contributes to the wider landscape even when the sauna isn’t being used.
small spaces can make a big difference
A garden transformation doesn’t always require redesigning the entire backyard.
Sometimes, it’s about identifying the parts of your garden that aren’t working as hard as they could be and asking: what could this space become?
For this garden, what was once a neglected and rarely visited part of the property has become a welcoming retreat. Most importantly, the clients now find themselves drawn into this part of the garden, wandering along the new pathway, enjoying the planting and spending time in a space that previously gave them little reason to visit.
That change in how a garden is used is often one of the most rewarding measures of a successful landscape design.
what potential is hiding in your garden?
It can be difficult to see beyond what’s currently there. An awkward corner remains an awkward corner, a bare side passage remains somewhere you hurry through, and an unused patch of garden simply becomes part of the background.
Engaging a landscape designer can help you look at these spaces differently.
Through thoughtful planning, planting and material selection, even a relatively small garden upgrade can unlock opportunities you may not have realised were there, creating spaces that are functional, beautiful and, most importantly, places you genuinely want to spend time in.
Sometimes your garden’s next favourite destination is already there. It just needs a reason to be discovered.
from vision to reality
Of course, a considered landscape design is only as successful as the care and craftsmanship that goes into bringing it to life.
We’re incredibly grateful to MJ Landscapes and Maintenance who helped transform this once-overlooked corner from a vision on paper into the welcoming garden retreat it is today.
Having worked together across many projects over the years, we’ve developed a strong and collaborative relationship built on trust, open communication and a shared commitment to creating beautiful, enduring landscapes.
There is a genuine level of care in the way they approach their work; from interpreting the finer details of the design through to the quality of the construction and finishing touches. Collaborating with a team who understands our design intent and takes pride in the outcome makes an enormous difference, and it’s this shared attention to detail that allows a garden to come together so beautifully.
CREDITS:
Landscape Installation by MJ Landscapes and Maintenance
Photography by 7X Advertising (Content Creation)
Outdoor Sauna by Revel Saunas