I think it can be be hard to imagine a garden or an outdoor living area that is completely devoid of grass. But I find interesting that when this ‘must have’ or assumed item is taken out of the design consideration completely how suddenly the outdoors becomes a more integrated living space.

Take this design by TLC pools in Australia. The garden is much more of an extended living space than most outdoor areas. For my taste I would love to have it greened up a bit but the ferns on the hillside  should take care of that (they look small and they will be lovely when they fill in), but even the pool feels useful and more interesting than just a big blue square set in a lawn.

I am not always the biggest fan of contemporary style landscapes but this one warms me up to the style.  It is livable and beautifully designed with lots of personal details that the look can sometimes lack.   This garden even includes a meditation  shelter with spectacular views which is up the hillside.

Make sure you check out the rest of the images on TLC’s portfolio project page for more inspiration.  There are some great ideas there including detail shots of the that fantastic triangular pergola over the sitting area.

images: TLC Lanscapes