Rudolph Gartendesign's latest project demonstrates how to thoughtfully preserve a mature mirabelle plum tree within a contemporary pool garden. The original tree—overgrown and neglected—seemed at odds with the clients' vision. Yet it had stood on the property long before the new owners arrived, and its age afforded it protected status, making its integration essential. Rather than viewing this as a constraint, the design team transformed the tree into the garden's crowning feature and the clients' favorite focal point. Beyond selective pruning and structural work, the designers addressed a critical challenge: as the property was graded upward, the tree sat too low. A sunken planting bed, carefully framed with natural stone, bridges this elevation difference and allows the mirabelle to sit in perfect harmony with the overall composition.

The design balances environmental stewardship with the clients' aspirations: a swimming pool and pool house, a pergola with outdoor shower, a daybed lounge, trampoline zone, dog wash station, sheltered seating areas, and raised herb beds. Privacy was paramount given the surrounding houses. Evergreen magnolias trained along the pool's edge create an intimate bathing experience, while a rear raised bed of bamboo and cherry laurel standards framing the pathways shield the garden from outside views. The pool house pergola, draped in stunning wisteria, reinforces both privacy and spatial definition.

By layering evergreen plantings, the design creates a true family sanctuary—an inviting retreat throughout the year. Carefully placed lighting highlights the garden's architectural plants, ensuring this verdant oasis remains a stunning living space extension even as days grow shorter and seasons change.

www.rudolph-galabau.de

Photography Credits:

Nina Rudolph

(Published in CUBE Frankfurt 01|23)