Patio of the Week: Rustic Hideaway for Hosting Friends and Family
A new pool, Piet Oudolf-inspired plantings and a renovated barn anchor an outdoor retreat in the Canadian countryside
A couple who live full-time in Toronto were looking for a relaxed and cozy getaway in the country where they could host overnight guests, when they discovered an 18-acre property in southern Ontario’s Prince Edward County. “[The area] emerged as the idyllic spot for their new retreat. Its lively community, coupled with its thriving food, wine and art culture, offered the perfect backdrop for their vision,” says landscape designer Wendy Gawne of Wentworth Landscapes.
The site featured a renovated 19th-century farmhouse as well as a barn and other outbuildings, which the homeowners envisioned as future guesthouses. The barn in particular stood out, and the homeowners hired Wentworth to upgrade the barn area as well as add a pool and design a landscape around it.
The site featured a renovated 19th-century farmhouse as well as a barn and other outbuildings, which the homeowners envisioned as future guesthouses. The barn in particular stood out, and the homeowners hired Wentworth to upgrade the barn area as well as add a pool and design a landscape around it.
After: The homeowners added outdoor lounge furniture and roll-down bug screens to this covered area, creating a protected outdoor space they could enjoy throughout the year. “Insects had reduced their ability to use the outdoors in spring; automatic screens were installed to provide sanctuary from insects,” Gawne says.
During the warmer months, the family can open the large sliding barn door, bring out their Argentine grills and host large cookouts with friends and family.
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Before starting the landscape design, the team relocated a septic leach field that sat within a protected wetland setback area. “We were not obligated to move the leaching bed,” Gawne says. “Despite [the bed’s] being grandfathered in, the clients felt that removing it was the most environmentally responsible thing to do.” It also was in the area where they wanted to build the pool.
They installed a new leach field outside of the 300-foot protected setback. “Not only were the wetlands better off, but the space was now opened up for a better use,” Gawne says. After the governing conservation board approved the design, the team set to work on the new pool area.
They installed a new leach field outside of the 300-foot protected setback. “Not only were the wetlands better off, but the space was now opened up for a better use,” Gawne says. After the governing conservation board approved the design, the team set to work on the new pool area.
After: The new, rectangular pool reinforces the landscape’s simple, modern feel and complements the barn’s agrarian, utilitarian design. Mature arching trees surrounding the pool cast beautiful reflections in the water and pop against the pool’s dark liner.
All the patio pavers, pool coping and outdoor steps are a precast concrete product by Techo-Bloc. The pavers’ slip-resistant surface works well as a pool deck, and the consistent materials gives the space a cohesive feel. “We wanted a neutral aesthetic, providing a harmonious and clean result,” Gawne says.
Before and After: 3 Reimagined Landscapes Transform Plain Pools
All the patio pavers, pool coping and outdoor steps are a precast concrete product by Techo-Bloc. The pavers’ slip-resistant surface works well as a pool deck, and the consistent materials gives the space a cohesive feel. “We wanted a neutral aesthetic, providing a harmonious and clean result,” Gawne says.
Before and After: 3 Reimagined Landscapes Transform Plain Pools
Five-foot-tall steel-mesh-and-cedar fencing surrounds the pool area, maintaining a clear view out to the landscape while also complying with local laws. “This thoughtful design choice ensured that the fence offered a cohesive appearance while allowing open views of the clients’ picturesque property, preserving the expansive and unobstructed feel of the landscape,” Gawne says. The wood will weather and match the barn board over time.
When it came to poolside plantings, the homeowners were envisioning a dynamic landscape that would harmonize with the rustic barn, evolve with the seasons and support local pollinators. In that new landscape, grasses and perennials add texture, color and ever-changing interest.
Here, ‘Karl Foerster’ feather reed grass (Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’, USDA zones 4 to 9; find your zone) lines the barn, with its golden seed heads complementing the rustic wood siding. “We ensured their grass beds were companion-planted with both warm and seasonal grasses, so there would always be something to enjoy,” Gawne says.
Here, ‘Karl Foerster’ feather reed grass (Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’, USDA zones 4 to 9; find your zone) lines the barn, with its golden seed heads complementing the rustic wood siding. “We ensured their grass beds were companion-planted with both warm and seasonal grasses, so there would always be something to enjoy,” Gawne says.
Accent beds lining the pool showcase the clients’ admiration for Dutch plantsman Piet Oudolf. Oudolf’s showstopping designs are known for their naturalistic style, year-round interest and support for wildlife — and inspired this garden’s plant list. “Additionally, we opted for drought-resistant plants for the remaining beds, negating the necessity for irrigation,” Gawne says.
How to Create a Wildlife-Friendly Garden
How to Create a Wildlife-Friendly Garden
Oudolf’s favorite plants inspired the accent beds’ selections. Some of the plants used include: ‘Blue Hill’ sage (Salvia x sylvestris ‘Blue Hill’, zones 4 to 8), coastal plain Joe Pye weed (Eutrochium dubium ‘Baby Joe’, zones 3 to 9), dwarf Korean lilac (Syringa meyeri ‘Palibin’, zones 3 to 7), ‘Elijah Blue’ fescue (Festuca glauca ‘Elijah Blue’, zones 4 to 8), First Editions Fiji rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus ‘Minspot’, zones 5 to 8), ‘Goldsturm’ black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii ‘Goldsturm’, zones 3 to 9), ‘Heavy Metal’ switchgrass (Panicum virgatum ‘Heavy Metal’, zones 3 to 9), ‘Marina’ stonecrop (Sedum ‘Marina’, zones 4 to 9), spike speedwell (Veronica ‘White Wands’, zones 4 to 8), ‘Taplow Blue’ globe thistle (Echinops bannaticus ‘Taplow Blue’, zones 4 to 9) and tufted hairgrass (Deschampsia cespitosa, zones 4 to 9).
The perennials extend past the fence line, which helps cut down on maintenance and allows the design to seamlessly flow out into the landscape.
Subtle and low-wattage Cor-Ten lighting by In-lite strategically highlights landscape features and outdoor sculptures.
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Subtle and low-wattage Cor-Ten lighting by In-lite strategically highlights landscape features and outdoor sculptures.
More on Houzz
Get inspired by landscape photos
Find a pro for your home or garden project
Shop for outdoor products
Yard at a Glance
Who lives here: This is a vacation home for a couple (she is a retired teacher, and he works in the wine industry and for his family’s business) with adult children.
Location: Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada
Size: The property spans 18 acres.
Designer and builder: Wentworth Landscapes
The new pool area is about 250 feet away from the main house and is the centerpiece of the design by Wentworth Landscapes, which includes the pool plus a patio, woodwork, lighting, plantings and barn upgrades. The space is shielded from the street but has an open view to the house.
The gathering-and-entertaining zone gives the owners and their adult children room for relaxing together during the warmer months and recharging after excursions throughout the county. “They wanted to create a comfortable and welcoming space for their large extended family, friends and their children’s friends to enjoy together,” Gawne says. The pool area blends the modern bohemian style the homeowners wanted with the rustic feel of the property.
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