Best Homes

Best Homes profiled this Bondi garden in its fourth issue of 2016 under the heading “Mediterranean Paradise”, on how considered design can resolve a tricky site. The backyard dropped away in tiers down a steep embankment, and the brief called for a layout that respected that vertical fall while still working hard for family life.

We shaped the garden that steps down through those levels, with raised beds and layered planting worked around the pergola above to draw the eye up the block and soften its drop. The finished garden centres on a cascading pool with an infinity edge that flows down the embankment towards the deck, a slope the feature likened to “wading down from an ancient temple into a gentle river.” Blond travertine coping and stone walls run through the space for a natural, sandy texture, and a pearlescent mosaic lines the pool interior so it catches the light throughout the day. Stone-capped stairs link the levels, and glass panelling with stainless-steel accents keeps the sightlines open, handy for watching the kids at the playhouse on the grassy knoll while entertaining from the lower deck.

At night, upward-angled underwater and garden lighting gives the whole space a soft glow. It is a good example of how even a difficult, multi-level block can still deliver a relaxed, low-maintenance garden built for family life.