Koi fish find confidence in new pond

Place for relaxation and reflection. A conversation piece. A home for colourful fish. The humble pond takes centre stage in this elegant garden design, creating a natural piece of paradise in Claremont.

The owner of this gorgeous modern home approached Align Landscape Architecture (ALA) seeking a landscape design that would complement their recent renovations and create a tranquil garden sanctuary for them to come home to after a busy day at work.

As the front garden was the main entrance to the property, it needed to be an inviting yet functional space to walk through, while also providing a stunning outlook from the outdoor entertaining area on the front verandah.

ALA designed an eye-catching pond and unique orb-shaped water feature at the entrance to create an immediate sense of beauty and calm as you walk in.

There’s nothing quite like listening to the sound of bubbling water and watching it flow over the orb is simply mesmerising.

The pond was designed to be large enough to add some Koi fish, which our Director and Lead Landscape Architect, Jon Donisi, enjoyed helping the owner to handpick. The night flowering water lilies floating ethereally on the surface provide both cover for the fish and a talking point for guests enjoying an evening outdoors; “How do you get your water lilies to flower at night?”.

The concrete path leading to the house and pond was formed and poured as one, and burnished and sealed to achieve a softer, more uniform look. Together, these clean concrete lines frame the central grass area and impart an understated elegance. From an aesthetic standpoint, it was critical that the sightline from the end of the grass continued through to the edge of the water and this was achieved by setting in the pond wall.

The client wanted planting that provided immediate impact so ALA sourced and procured suitable mature stock from various nurseries. The planting palette is intended to reflect the client’s preference for lush, green exotic planting.

If you would like advice on creating a peaceful garden sanctuary of your own, please don’t hesitate to get in tohttps://ala.design/contact/uch with us for an obligation-free chat!

Meet the Director – Jon Donisi

Meet ALA’s Director and Lead Landscape Architect, Jon Donisi. Jon shares his journey in the Landscape Architecture industry, what inspires him and why he chose