Poolside Slow Days
The opportunity
Josh's project started as a vacant Alphington block and a brief about how the family wanted to live: a natural, Australian native feel, and multiple places across the property to slow down and unwind.
The design was left to James.
The opportunity
A knockdown rebuild asks a landscape builder to think in years, not weeks. The pool had to go in before the house existed, then the entire landscape had to be delivered after handover, around finished construction. Levels, access and protection all had to be planned months in advance, and the design had to hold together across distinct zones rather than lean on one showpiece.
What we did
Stage one: the Plungie Original, installed in ground ahead of the house build. After handover we returned and delivered the rest as one landscape: a timber pergola, bluestone and granite paving, natural mudstone boulders, a natural riverbed pond, garden beds planted entirely with Australian natives, and Sir Walter Buffalo lawn connecting the zones.
The outcome
A family home with slow days built into it, and a garden that will only improve as the natives establish.
Kind Words From Our Happy Customers
"Quick turnaround, responsive, no delays and great timelines. We were kept well informed the whole way through. Our new outlook over the green wedge and Diamond Valley views, incorporating the pool and the deck, is just stunning all year round."
"We first met Black Group at an exhibition about eight years ago and always wanted to work with them. What stood out most was the initial design. What came back from James was well beyond anything we could have imagined ourselves. Our block had its challenges, we're on rock, so there was a lot of machinery and a lot of trades coming and going, but every single person on site was terrific to deal with. Seeing it on a plan and now seeing it come to life is really rewarding."
"James did everything he said he'd do, and then some. We had a deadline for a big party and he pulled out all the stops to get us there. His team worked incredibly hard. We're absolutely thrilled."
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