Garden For Family Activities

What is the real function of a garden in the house? The owners need the garden for their family and talked to a landscape designer to build a pavilion and a small waterfall wall for outdoor living and garden for family activities.

/// Thailand ///

Story : Apasri Meemana /// Photos : Sitthisak Namkham and Siramath Jirapotisit /// Landscape : Suansabuy Design Studio

*The designer placed large free-form plants such as patana oak, millettia brandisiana, and calabashin the rear to relieve the rigidity of the pavilion structure.*

*The wide grass lawn can be adapted to different activities. A stylishly modern sand wash concrete walkway leads in from the front.*

When buying a house one needs to consider the surrounding environment, size and placement of the building, style, and usable outdoor space. The form and layout of the pre-existing garden are less important. This is how it was for Chana and Nopphawan Najaroenkun, who own this beautiful family activities’ garden in Bang Phli District of Samut Prakan. Chana beams as he talks about it.

*Lounge in the gazebo on cushions or mats and bring out fruit and pastries, a perfect formula for pleasant relaxation.*

*The Neighboring white house is seen behind three levels of green: pigeon berry, water jasmine, and English banyan*

“I love this house, but outside we have 280 square meters. Shortly after moving in I felt the garden wasn’t really right, so we gave it a makeover. We found Siramath Jirapotisit from Suansabuy Design Studio with a contemporary style we liked. I told him we wanted an open garden for family with a pavilion and a small waterfall wall. His design was spot on, a perfect fit.”

*The Pavilion, wood deck, pathway, and other hardscape elements designed in a complementary pattern of rectangles.*

*The pavilion is raised 60 centimeters to dissipate heat and let the breeze pass through.*

Siramath went on: “The owners went with pretty much what I had on my website. I assessed the whole house to see how to connect various rooms to the garden.The pavilion is large and modern located on the left-hand side by the grass lawn. Connecting to it is a hardscape waterfall wall that’s visible from inside for a beautiful garden view. Next to that, a moderately sized gazebo with wicker furniture, connected to the living room by a wooden deck pathway, and then in the back is another rest area by the Thai kitchen and utility room.”

*On the right-hand side is a tall green fence of English banyan which is an interesting contrast to the rust-colored fence by the pavilion.*

“We used some plants from the old garden, the palm and dragon tree in front, adding patana oak, millettia brandisiana, a beautiful calabash tree, and shrubs along the English banyan by the fence: monkey grass, iris, ruellia, and so on, all easy to maintain. This is a modern garden for family with some tropical elements mixed in.”

*The beautiful, open-limbed form of a calabash tree set right in the center suits the overall modern design.*

*Another place to sit behind the house, next to the Thai kitchen. The owners like sitting here while dinner is being prepared.*

Nopphawan says she loves the renovated garden:

“We make great use of it. I like the spaces all around the house to sit and relax. Our kids sit and do homework, read books, feel the fresh air. Sometimes we have fun family parties in the pavilion and on the lawn. It’s especially pretty in the evening with our nice lighting system: it adds a sense of liveliness. I told Siramath I’d like easy maintenance, cutting the grass only once in awhile. In a couple of areas, we have staff from Suansabuy Design Studio come help care for the plants and water once a day.”

*In the evening there is a different atmosphere, with special lighting for a gentle relaxing elegance.*

“When we come back and are tired from work, the garden makes us feel refreshed. Looking around it feels like we’re tourists at a resort outside of the city. It puts some pizzazz into our lives, energizes both body and mind. When we have free time, we sometimes sit outside in the garden as a whole family.”

*With the light shining up through the water onto the waterfall wall adding new dimensions to the overall look.*

link : http://www.suansabuy.com/

Garden For Family Activities