Problems 101

Sometimes the main design goal of a project is just to make things pretty...and other times it's a two-fold process of solving real problems, then making things pretty!  We were recently hired for a project of just this nature.  And I do mean "nature".

Our new client lives in a beautiful home that backs up to a natural wetland preserve.  The house is built onto ground that was raised about 6 feet above the wetland floor, and the yard is sloped into the wetland on the back and side.  In one area, the yard almost literally "falls off" into the preserve.

In addition, there are major drainage problems because of water-shed from the roof of the house.  These issues--combined with the need to clean up a potting area and create an outdoor patio space--became a significant and exciting challenge.  Here are some photos showing what the property looks like now.

This area is tucked in to the side of the house, and is a natural space for plant potting and maintenance.  But it's easy for an area like this to become cluttered.

This side yard retains a lot of water during wet weather.  Drainage needs to be resolved.  And, since this is where a new patio will go, the pool equipment could use some camouflaging!

Because three different roof lines meet at this corner, a huge amount of water pours down and is slowly eroding the soil away from this step-out area from the lanai. 



The Florida wetland immediately behind the pool cage is beautiful, and filled with wildlife!



As beautiful as it is, it does get a little swampy!

The challenge here was to find solutions that would both resolve the problems, and still fit well into the surrounding landscape.  Though still on paper, next week we'll take a look at what we've come up with.  You'll see something very different from the simple elegance of our most recent outdoor project!