Designing a multi-purpose yard for fun and relaxation

by Sally Bouorm | April 1, 2011 10:14 am

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By Jon Mulder

The owners of this home in Mississauga, Ont., were looking for a multi-purpose backyard that not only complemented the house they had built themselves just a few years earlier, but also provided a functional entertaining space.
To realize this goal, they contacted Cedar Springs Landscape Group, an Ancaster, Ont.-based landscape design, construction and grounds care company serving customers in Ontario’s Golden Horseshoe region. As 20-year veterans of the landscape business, the group at Cedar Springs worked closely with the clients, using their experience and inspiration from the natural world to create a space that took home a 2011 Landscape Ontario Award of Excellence.

A collaborative plan

Planning began in early January, to ensure workers would be ready to break ground as soon as spring arrived. As with any project, the design process started with a client meeting to determine the homeowners’ distinct design sense and collaborate on their ‘wish list’ and priorities for the property.

First on the list was a pool. Having already met with a builder, the clients were interested in a lagoon-shaped or curvilinear design. Sizing was left up to the Cedar Springs team and was dependent on the overall layout of the backyard, which would ultimately include a cabana, bar, built-in spa, dining area, lounging space and fireplace-centred conversation area.

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The existing space was a blank canvas of green grass, with nothing more then a catch basin in the back corner of the property, which sat close to 1.6 m (5.5 ft) lower than the back doorsill. The yard elevation also needed to be managed by a series of natural stone and masonry retaining walls.

Extensive excavation was required to create the different elevations and prepare for the structural concrete, which was the first step in the construction process. Addressing the elevation change between the doorsill and catch basin took some thought. The swale flowing along the back property line needed to be maintained and specific plant material (e.g. serviceberrys and rivers birch) needed to be selected in order to handle the flood-like conditions these swales experience during periods of high rain.

As the design developed, it was determined that the pool needed to be installed 1.1 m (45 in.) below the doorsill. It was crucial the pool be installed not only at the correct height, but also in the exact location planned. With so many areas of the yard connected to the pool, any change in location would have had an effect on the entire flow and functionality of the backyard. For this reason, among others, effective communication with the pool builder was a top priority.

Making the most of the space

The yard was roughly 19.8 m (65 ft) wide by 15.2 (50 ft) deep, and needed to be carefully laid out in order to maximize space, meet all applicable bylaw requirements and satisfy the clients’ design objectives. To that end, it was decided the backyard would be split into two levels, to create added visual interest and establish a degree of separation between the dining area and pool. The fireplace and conversation area were placed on the lower level to create a more intimate setting.

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From a space and convenience perspective, two of the clients’ wish list items, namely the bar and post-and-beam cabana, were incorporated into a single structure. An outdoor fridge is situated underneath the bar, which also has additional room for firewood storage. A future bathroom was roughed into the cabana, which also serves as the yard’s main storage area.

To further maximize the space, the cabana/bar was positioned as far back as allowed by law. This also created a convenient place to hide the pool equipment, which is located directly behind the cabana.

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The spa sits at the lower pool elevation, but is built into the upper patio for easy access during the colder months. A masonry wall was built in front of the spa to disguise it from the pool area, while a step surrounding the two sides adjacent to the upper patio disguises it from the dining area. The backside of the spa is exposed for easy maintenance and service; a cedar screen was added along the property line to create immediate privacy.

The homeowners have a great relationship with their neighbours and did not want to cut themselves off entirely from adjacent properties. As a result, galvanized aluminium fencing was selected. Not only did it meet the required bylaws, it also allowed the clients to maintain the open concept they were seeking.

Finishing touches

The pool and dining area patios were built using concrete pavers, while the stone pool coping is natural flagstone (from Ontario). The walls, bar and fireplace are a combination of natural ledgerock and flagstone (also from Ontario), all of which, along with the cabana and masonry walls, were built on poured concrete foundations.

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The cabana was built using timber post-and-beam construction. The 228 x 228-mm (9 x 9-in.) posts, perlins, arch braces and gable beams are solid black walnut and the structure walls are finished in a pine board and batten.

In addition to the serviceberry clumps and rivers birch planted along the swale, a combination of evergreens, grasses and perennials were selected in accordance with the homeowner’s colour and texture preferences. Trees used include cedars, Chinese flowering dogwood and Japanese maple. Both evergreen and deciduous shrubs were added, including boxwoods, three varieties of hydrangea, dense yews and dogwood, along with feather reed, blue oat, maiden, zebra and fountain grasses. Finally, a selection of perennials—daylilies, coralbells and sedum—was added to bring added life to the space. Room was also left for annuals, which will be planted on a yearly basis.

In total, the project took roughly 10 weeks, including the pool installation, with roughly nine trades involved—pool builders, landscapers, masons, carpenters, gas technicians, electricians, plumbers and fence and irrigation contractors. Several site visits were held before the project began and regular meetings were convened throughout the construction process.

Even with so many elements to bring together, the project ran very smoothly, with a limited amount of issues along the way, ultimately delivering the open, multi-functional space the homeowners wanted.

 

Jon Mulder is a senior landscape designer and project manager with Cedar Springs Landscape Group, an Ancaster, Ont.-based landscape design, construction and grounds care company. He can be reached at jon@cedarsprings.net[6] or by visiting www.cedarsprings.net[7].

 

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