When landscape designer Andreas Käpplinger first visited the property, the old house still sat within a long-established, densely planted garden. Demolition was planned—but the client had one clear priority: preserve the magnificent mature trees and weave them into the new design. After all, established trees bring character and atmosphere. During construction, the Otto Arnold Gärten team faced the challenge of safeguarding the existing specimens—a cherry tree, silver maple, and several remarkable sourwood trees—protecting them throughout the building process. The effort proved worthwhile. Today, these heritage trees anchor the garden's sense of harmony and continuity.

The owners envisioned a multifunctional outdoor space: a swimming pool with outdoor shower, generous play areas for the children, and dedicated zones for growing edible plants—where parents could introduce their kids to cultivation and create a berry patch for the whole family. The design also called for expansive terrace areas for dining and lounging. After exploring several concepts, the team settled on a defined entrance sequence with a gate system that echoes the garage doors in both form and material. Specimen trees—including Cornus kousa var. chinensis and Acer palmatum in umbrella form—frame the approach to the house. Terraces, steps, seating surfaces, and roof decks are paved in Italian Pietra Piasentina limestone, prized for its warm patina and organic veining. The same stone appears inside the house, though polished rather than flamed. Raw steel edging defines the planting beds, creating bold contrast against the natural stone while Japanese maple repeats the umbrella form across the entrance. The swimming pool—constructed as a poured concrete basin—concludes with Pietra Piasentina coping. An Albrecht apple tree marks the boundary between the productive and snack gardens. A rock pear provides screening beside the heritage maple, while existing plantings elsewhere supply sufficient structure. The palette elsewhere emphasizes hydrangeas, ornamental grasses, and lavender, with evergreen privet forming the perimeter hedge. Strategic lighting—LED strips integrated into the pool steps, plus accent and tree uplights—reinforces the thoughtful composition.

www.ottoarnoldgmbh.de

Photography Credits:

Andreas Käpplinger

(Published in CUBE Stuttgart 01|23)