Pool Garden....A Before and after tour of an Old Florida Style Garden

Before of M's Florida pool garden

Another before shot...fence is now installed 2010

Have you ever done a home reno or purchased something major for your home, been quite content with it, and then soon after spotted something that made you totally regret your decision? For me, it was our Florida pool. Swimming pools in most yards I have seen were very pretty, with cement coping and brick or concrete pool decks. When we built the Florida pool we promised ourselves we would stick with the budget which included a brick paver pool deck and choice of pool builder tiles. To be honest I wasn't keen on any of the choices, but also I wasn't too keen on the upgrades offered such as limestone which looked too new and polished. In the end I went with a hex block style paver in a mixed peach and pewter color. Originally we chose a peach brick bullnose coping (you can see the pool HERE) but someone screwed up and we ended up with the mixed stone all over. I was Ok with it all, but it wasn't the Old Florida look I had in mind. I couldn't exactly pin it down until July when I went to a neighborhood party and walked into this back yard. M built this pool in 2010. She contracted it herself and moved over 250 wheelbarrows of dirt herself. The tile was vintage tile she had lugged from house to house over the years knowing she was going to find a use for it. Her pool deck is made of coquina....a fossilized limestone native to Florida and harvested nearby. 

The second I saw this yard, I had instant regret. Regret for not researching my options better and with the whole look of my pool. for the first 20 minutes of the party I kept saying to The Raz Man...."OMG, I wish I had seen this before"....hindsight is 20/20 as they say. I still love my pool, and instead of having too much remorse, I studied carefully this yard and devised a plan for making my pool yard look somewhat like this. 

Here are lots of photos of M's pool and yard. This was built only 3 years ago. Things grow fast in Florida. It wasn't just the pool, it was the whole feel of the yard and house. This is in St. Petersburg. It looks like it Key West in the 1930's. This is all her design and talent and hardwork. She planted this garden. I hope you enjoy this tour. All photos with permission to use from M.

 The finished pool and garden.

Outdoor shower...note the shower head

Coquina pool deck

Handmale tiles

Hippies use back door

Beautiful...YES!