A complete backyard transformation in St Heliers with a deck, screens, hot tub, and fireplace!

The backyard of this modern St Heliers home was completely underutilised, with an uninviting concrete patio and a steep path that was constructed haphazardly by the original developer. Homeowners Robert and Sharon wanted a total revamp of the back area and brought in Zones landscaping specialist Kate Ryan - who didn’t see an unkempt backyard, but a space full of opportunities!

“Our plan was to convert this relatively unused area into a private, functional space for entertaining and family use,” says Robert. “We were attracted to Zones as they were a one-stop-shop capable of organising all parts of the project.”

The bespoke landscape design

Kate started by listening to her client’s needs and provided them with a detailed design of her vision. “This gave them the confidence to invest well in the area, allowing us to turn it into a fun family and entertainment space,” says Kate.

The clever design included a well-proportioned level deck that would be flush with the inside house, while retaining the soil to increase space! Not only did this create an indoor-outdoor flow, adding an element of elegance to the home, but it opened up several possibilities that lead to installing a cedar hot tub and an outdoor fireplace!

Hardscaping and softscaping

“We paved granite steps in solid macrocarpa that lead up the side of the house to access the hot tub area,” Kate explains. “We even planted some lush palm trees all around the boundary of the property for extra privacy, along with underplanting and uplighting to create the perfect night-time ambience.”

Adding to the theme of comfort and privacy, Kate’s team proceeded to install feature cedar screens that give the area a natural and organic feel. “The screen really softens the neighbouring house and adds a beautiful attribute to the space,” Kate says. “We fixed the existing fence too and used Pacific Outdoor Solutions for the bespoke aluminium fencing detail,” she explains. “Each cedar end was carefully cut to run along the slope. But the intricate install was well worth the result!” Looking at the pictures below, we’re sure you’ll agree!