Elegant yet effortless, a Scottsdale landscape offers a relaxing retreat from a high-stress lifestyle.

He likes grass, and she loves trees. It doesn’t get much more straightforward than that, and simplicity ended up playing a primary role in the evolution of a North Scottsdale landscape.

“When my husband was young, he used to mow grass and always prided himself on his immaculate lawns, so grass was a must-have for him,” says the wife. For her, it was a love of oak trees resonating from her upbringing in the Midwest that guided her wish list. “I have the most beautiful ironwood tree outside of my home office and two live oaks in our courtyard.”

The couple, both from Wisconsin, have resided in Arizona for many years and place great value on their environment. “They were very involved from the beginning and had high expectations for creating a beautiful garden and functional welcoming living areas for their family and grandkids to enjoy,” says Phoenix Home & Garden Masters of the Southwest award-winning landscape architect Donna Winters, who designed the outdoor spaces.

Keeping the look and feel of the landscape simple, clean and balanced was of utmost importance and on par with the formal Mediterranean-style of the house, which is all about symmetry, Winters notes. All elements are straight-lined and structured, with a minimalist low-litter plant palette that repeats itself throughout. The yard is open and spacious with green lawns, and pots brimming with seasonal color to soften things up.

“The homeowners wanted private patios on every side of the residence so that they could enjoy a different setting at different times of the day and year,” explains builder Keith Bolock, who worked closely with architect Bing Hu on the realization of the residence. Both husband and wife have their own auto courts, courtyards and private garden entrances, while a T-shaped swimming pool bordered by grass can be viewed through a two-story arched window in the home. “Every outdoor space has a different feel, yet it all flows together,” he adds.

 They had high expectations for a beautiful garden and welcoming living areas.”

—DONNA WINTERS, landscape architect

The home’s driveway is bordered by majestic 200-year-old ironwoods, as the scale of the house demanded huge mature trees, says Winters. “The idea was to emulate the aesthetic of olive trees but using a native plant.” As guests walk beyond a pair of elegant wrought-iron gates set under a bell tower, they find themselves in a serene entry courtyard. “It was designed to feel like a tropical sanctuary with rich, deep greens and soft textures,” says the landscape architect. Two oak trees, representing stability and longevity, flank each side of the verdant space.

The focal point of the courtyard is a pyramid-shaped water fountain made of limestone that was intended to be a centerpiece of reflection. “We wanted something symmetrical with a very soft sound,” says the wife, whose husband helped with its design. Adds Winters, “We developed multiple fountain ideas with the owners and builder, and the couple chose this concept because they didn’t want anything to obstruct the front door, and they liked its scale and sound quality.” The soft fronds of palms and low-growing evergreen shrubs provide a peaceful backdrop to a space defined by the arched openings of loggia-style corridors.

A more structured approach was taken in the backyard due to the linear nature of the planting beds, explains Winters. Travertine paving was chosen for its clean, cool and contemporary feel, while such plants as dwarf myrtle and Stokes yaupon holly provide a neutral green and are formal in style. Potted plants, too, play a big role and were incorporated throughout the grounds, including on stairway walls, patios, at the base of columns and around the pool. While the wife was more concerned about the flowers, it was the shapes of the vessels that were of most importance to the husband, who is one of the Valley’s leading oncologists. “He wanted the garden to be full of life and didn’t want any pots that were urn-shaped because that represents death to him,” Winters remarks. After long days spent researching cancer treatments, he wanted to come home to a comfortable and soothing environment.

Although the house takes up most of the lot, room was made for a swimming pool that includes a 50-foot-long lap lane for daily exercise and a smaller area for family play. “The homeowners wanted to keep the pool away from the house,” says pool builder Mike Ferraro. “Placing it along the property line allowed us to incorporate a contemporary water feature and a spa.” The shallow portion was added for the couple’s grandkids who love to visit from out of town.

To help hide the pool equipment, which is situated nearby but at a lower elevation, Winters came up with an idea of creating a platform over it. “The concrete roof insulates and sound mitigates the equipment below,” she points out. While the structure’s top surface was originally envisioned as a place for the husband’s miniature train track, it was turned into a “rooftop” cactus garden that he can enjoy from the deck above.

Calming and easy on the eye, the couple’s quiet landscape blends their love of nature with a serene design. With its simple plant palette and a treescape that nestles you in, the garden offers the relaxing solitude and beauty they envisioned for their private slice of paradise.

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