The homeowner envisioned a garden that frames a striking aesthetic view from the house throughout the year – a verdant retreat that transforms with each season. Landscape architect and gardener Burkhard Damm orchestrated the master plan, incorporating a swimming pool, a shaded outdoor kitchen with generous seating for twelve, a fire pit, and ample space for entertaining. The design challenge for Garten und Landschaftsbau Cremers was to create visual interest through dynamic, hardy plantings – perennials, ornamental grasses, and flowering bulbs – while maintaining the structured elegance of yew hedge borders. This layered approach delivers seasonal variety within a composed framework. Equally important, the pool, terrace, and gathering areas needed privacy screening from neighbouring properties.

One key constraint was integrating the underground garage that lies partially beneath the garden without letting it visually intrude. The answer came in the form of continuous hedge lines that unify the space while creating natural zones—and whose height simultaneously screens out prying eyes from neighbouring properties. Sustainability shaped every decision: the basalt lava used throughout (flooring, kitchen surround, pool edging) comes from the nearby Eifel region and boasts exceptional longevity. The fire pit emerges as a standout feature—a circular composition with atmospheric lighting and a welcoming seat, softly bordered by grasses and shrubs. The terrace decking and pergola showcase modified wood varieties (Kebony, Pinus radiata) chosen specifically because they regenerate faster than they age, extending the time before garden renewal becomes necessary.

Thoughtful lighting design completes the vision. Every fixture is individually dimmable and programmable into preset scenes, with multiple modes at your fingertips: functional lighting for everyday use, party mode for entertaining, soft ambient lighting for relaxation, or "theatrical hedges" to dramatize the landscape. All lighting uses warm white tones for cohesion. Sustainability and smart home technology were woven throughout: computer-controlled irrigation serves the entire garden, an outdoor sound system enhances the ambiance, and lighting is fully controllable via app.

www.damm-refugium.de

Photography:
Burkhard Damm

(Published in CUBE Düsseldorf 01|24)