This design departs from a typical landscape residential project as it is located on considerable acreage. The clients inherited an existing dwelling on a fairly steep slope and decided to renovate and extend rather than rebuild. 

The challenge was to blend a new swimming pool area and garden with the existing dwelling on a very steep site while providing a lush surround of exotic tropical garden. The original deforested landscape, which was to be regenerated and rehabilitated, required blending with the exotic areas around the house.

The design incorporates a strategic set of terraces so the functionality of related domestic spaces step down the hillside toward the view as well as swimming pool, enabling each area an unimpeded panorama of Byron Bay’s lighthouse and bay. The view corridor is maintained on each level and varying densities of vegetation fade and blend with surrounding native bush zones.

This system of terraces also reduced the visibility of the required pool safety fencing and connected the dwelling to the immediate garden areas and then onward to bushland.

At the main dwelling entry area a large lotus and carp pond allows for an intimate and protected outdoor courtyard space. This extraordinary entry courtyard, sheltered by the house and a stone fountain wall, provided the perfect tropical environment for the clients’ exotic orchid and plant collection, as well as the perfect environment for the carp.

This garden was featured in PLANTING DREAMS, GRAND GARDEN DESIGNS, a photographic exhibition of contemporary garden design at the STATE LIBRARY OF NSW

Location:  Ewingsdale, Byron Bay  NSW