Bluestone Creates the Path Home

Thermal bluestone provides the primary walking surface, connecting the landscape to the house with a material that feels both refined and grounded.

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At the front entry, white sandstone steps with softly rounded edges transition between levels. A black iron railing follows the slope alongside the brick, providing necessary support while adding another layer of traditional craftsmanship.

 

The black iron is intentionally simple.

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The focus belongs to the stone pillars, the brick, and the architecture of the home.

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That restraint is part of what makes the entrance feel grand without feeling over-designed.

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A Formal Garden Palette With a Softer Edge

The planting continues the traditional character of the residence.

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Classic boxwoods frame the entry, while green hydrangeas and white-flowering plants soften the hardscape surrounding the brick pillars. Additional boxwoods and sweetbay magnolias bring structure closer to the home, adding a subtle Southern influence to the planting palette.

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Bobo hydrangeas introduce another layer of texture, while astilbe fills the interior of the garden beds and New Guinea impatiens bring seasonal color to more protected areas.

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The planting is structured, but not rigid.

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The intent is for the garden to mature into the architecture rather than obscure it.

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Seasonality was also considered. Bulbs will introduce another moment of color as the garden transitions into spring, including red Emperor tulips that provide a strong, classic note against the home's more restrained palette.

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Two Bodies of Water, More Than One Season

One of the most distinctive features of the backyard is the decision to include both a spa and a spool.

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Rather than treating the water feature as something that exists only during the warmest months, the design allows the homeowners to use the spaces differently throughout the year.

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In summer, both can be enjoyed as part of the outdoor living experience. In winter, one can remain open while the other is closed, offering greater flexibility and making the investment in the backyard useful beyond the traditional pool season.

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It is the same philosophy Landfare brings to custom inground pool design in Upper Arlington and Dublin: build for how the homeowners want to live, not simply for how the space looks in July.

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Details That Reward a Closer Look

Some of the most successful elements in a high-end landscape are the ones that do not immediately announce themselves.

The railing near the front door, for example, was selected for its distinctive character and craftsmanship, reminiscent of the elegant ironwork found in New Orleans architecture.

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The black iron railing elsewhere on the property takes a quieter approach, allowing the historic brick pillars to remain the focal point.

This balance between statement and restraint continues throughout the garden.

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Boxwoods establish the framework. Hydrangeas soften the masonry. Sweetbay magnolias add height and a touch of Southern character. Thermal bluestone creates continuity underfoot.

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Nothing is competing for attention.

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Designing a Pool to Belong to a Historic Home

Adding a contemporary outdoor amenity to a historic property can be difficult. A new pool should feel like part of the property without pretending to be original to the home.

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That requires careful attention to proportion, material, grade, planting, and the views between spaces.

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For this S. Parkway residence, Landfare approached the landscape as an extension of the Georgian architecture. Traditional stone, black iron, boxwoods, hydrangeas, and carefully balanced water features establish a vocabulary that feels appropriate to the home's age and character.

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The result is not a backyard that feels newly imposed upon a historic property.

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It feels considered.

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High-End Landscaping With a Sense of Place

The best high-end landscaping does not necessarily draw attention to itself.

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Sometimes it is the quiet repetition of materials. The proportion of a light fixture to a brick pillar. The way a bluestone path approaches a front door. The spacing of boxwoods. The decision to let an architectural feature remain the focal point.

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At this Upper Arlington residence, those decisions come together to create a landscape that feels established, elegant, and connected to the history of the home.

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For homeowners exploring custom landscaping, hardscape, or an inground pool in Upper Arlington, Dublin, Grandview Heights, or throughout Central Ohio, the lesson is simple: Start with the architecture. Understand the property. Then design everything around the way you want to live there.

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Landfare Ltd. creates high-end landscape design, custom hardscape, inground pools, spas, and outdoor living environments throughout Upper Arlington, Dublin, Grandview Heights, Powell, and the greater Columbus area.