STONE, AIR & WATER
The decision to eliminate the lawn set the direction.
Just blocks from the ocean, this full interior and exterior renovation called for a landscape defined by structure, material, and repetition. Helix Green was responsible for all exterior elements, including the driveway, overflow parking, entry sequence, wellness courtyard, rear terrace, and fire gathering spaces. The objective was cohesion - every surface and planting gesture operating within a singular architectural language.
Without turf, the landscape draws from Mediterranean precedent. Clipped rosemary hedges establish edge and structure. Creeping blue daze softens transitions at the ground plane. Olive trees and boxwood globes provide rhythm and repetition, allowing texture and light to carry the experience.
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
Residential
Process:
Home Remodel
Partner:
Rainier, Inc
Level Up Designs
Sutherlin Lawn and Landscape
Material selection was approached with equal discipline. Shell stone pavers were chosen for their refined texture and quiet appropriateness to the coastal environment. Their soft tonality reflects light without glare, grounding the architecture while remaining durable in a salt-influenced climate.
Gravel is used strategically throughout the site, tempering larger paved areas and introducing a breathable mineral surface that reinforces the project’s restraint. Its texture contrasts with the linear pavers while maintaining permeability and cohesion, balancing solidity with air at the ground plane.
An evergreen podocarpus hedge encloses the front garden, creating privacy while screening overflow parking from the street. What might have felt exposed instead reads as composed and intentional.
Along the side yard, the atmosphere shifts. A raised ipe deck supports a sauna and plunge, forming a dedicated wellness courtyard layered in vertical planting. Tall white birds of paradise rise between fence-lined sabal palms that simultaneously screen neighboring rooflines and establish enclosure. The result is immersive yet controlled.
In the rear garden, spatial constraints required precision. Narrow evergreen trees provide screening without overwhelming the terrace. Flowing ribbon palms anchor the primary view from the kitchen and living room, introducing movement against the architecture. At their base, a rectilinear antique limestone basin offers quiet sound and reflection, reinforcing the project’s material clarity.
A sculptural olive tree marks the terminus of the backyard, offering height and subtle screening while creating a composed visual landing.
Stone, Air & Water is defined less by abundance than by balance - mass and void, texture and restraint, enclosure and openness working in concert.
