Our Family-Friendly Garden Transformation

When we bought our house we had fallen in love with the house itself but knew the garden would eventually need a transformation. The house was fully renovated, the views were stunning over the established garden and surrounding parks, however the garden itself wasn’t practical for our children with an enormous gum tree smack bang in the middle of the garden, an old un-used chicken coop, a greenhouse, an overgrown veggie patch, all of which were packed onto a sloping block.

We wanted to create an outdoor haven where our 10 and 12-year-old children could have endless fun with their friends, and where we could make memories and entertain as a family. The original garden had charm and functionality, but we really wanted to create a more practical space where the kids would be excited to spend time in, both with us and with their friends.

We cherished this green space, but we wanted to transform it into a garden that offered more options for play, entertainment, and family relaxation.

We reached out to Andrew at The Pool Group and Matt at The Petal Group and Matt designed the most beautiful, versatile space filled with everything our family – and our kids’ friends – could want, including:

1. A Pool for Endless Summer Fun

Designed by the talented Andrew from #ThePoolGroup, our new pool is the centerpiece of our garden. From the bluestone coping to the seamless design, Andrew has created a pool that is everything we dreamed of.

We love the Antique Aqua Pool Tiles which my friend Bianca had recommended to us.

2. Spacious Lawn for Games and Lounging

Matt's clever design ensured a large lawn area remained. Featuring TifTuf Bermuda turf, the garden is perfect for family games or barefoot lounging. It’s durable, lush, and ideal for the kids to play footy or cricket, have a run around or to lounge after their swim.

3. A Paved Basketball Zone

To keep our active kids entertained, we added a paved basketball area with bluestone steps and paving. These French-patterned bluestone pavers from Canterbury Stone give it an elegant look while being durable for daily play. Originally we had thought we’d do a Dream Court for the kids but then decided to pave the space instead so that if they ever outgrow their love of basketball, we can transform the space into a patio for entertaining.

4. Bluestone Paving and Steps

The bluestone paving connects all areas of the garden beautifully. Matt from Petal Group and Campbell at Canterbury Stone guided us with the stone selection to ensure the materials provided a sophisticated look, whilst also ensuring long-lasting durability. We opted for Bluestone Storm in French pattern and Bluestone drop face pool coping.

5. Custom Pool Fencing & Screening

Safety and style came together with our pool fencing from Blue Croc Manufacturing, complemented by custom fence extensions and screening from Screening Solutions. Danny and his team guided us with product selections and assisted us with pool compliance to create a sleek, integrated look that enhances the garden’s design. They also painted the fence extensions to ensure the colour matched our existing monument fencing. Matt and his team managed all the pool compliance and also installed Monument Composite Flat Screens to the front of the pool utilities area.

6. Retaining Walls and Timber Cladding

The garden’s levels flow seamlessly thanks to new timber and concrete sleeper retaining walls, adding both beauty and functionality. These expertly crafted walls make the entire space feel cohesive and inviting. Matt suggested bringing the sloping block all up to one level and we couldn’t be more delighted with the result.