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05 December 2024 | Case story

Swimming among the blossoms

Garden and landscape designer Koen Rygole runs a Belgian design office called Buro Groen. He is also the landscape architect behind NOA. The Rygole family’s garden unfurls like a green oasis around a renovated farmhouse in Roeselare. Twelve years later, the mature garden now also has an atypical swimming pool set in a colourful flower garden and orchard.

The farmhouse is barely visible from the street, while open vistas connect the garden with the surrounding countryside. Buro Groen’s offices are in the old barn, which is positioned parallel to the house. In recent years, Koen has sought to create more diversity in the garden with a bright mix of colours and leaf textures.

Concept partner

Poplars

An old tree line of six imposing poplars borders the green courtyard. The courtyard is a quiet and somewhat secluded spot where the family enjoys shade and tranquillity under the large trees on sunny days. The garden was designed around an orchard planted 30 years ago, with the many fruit trees yielding an abundant harvest every year. Virginie - Koen’s wife, a professional event planner (madame-est-servie.be) - organises an annual picking day, after which the apples and pears are pressed into fruit juice. Hundreds of naturalised flower bulbs were planted in the grass between the fruit trees. These types of flower bulbs are often found on old farms and in castle gardens and country houses. This ensures there is always something flowering in the garden year-round, with autumn crocuses in autumn and bluebells in spring. “We love our garden. Thanks to the many trees and greenery, it is a place to cool down on hot days, but they also ensure the garden is not susceptible to drought.”

Pool garden

“During the pandemic, my wife and children wanted a swimming pool. Initially, I never intended to have a pool in the garden. I felt that if we were to have a pool, it needed to be more than a pool and add something to the garden,” Koen says. The pool is somewhat concealed from view. Koen wanted the focus to always be on the landscape. According to Koen, a swimming pool is only beautiful when open. When the water is heated in summer, the roller shutter should stay closed as much as possible.

Hedgerows form separate compartments around the sheep pastures. Initially, there were four pastures, but now there are just two. One meadow - partly in the orchard - became a flower garden into which the swimming pool was integrated, a somewhat atypical choice. Moreover, he did not want a traditional swimming pool. Instead Koen had a water basin in mind that wouldn’t look like a swimming pool proper. “Together with pool builder My pool we came up with a concrete overflow pool that protrudes from the landscape at seating edge height. As we swim, we enjoy the lush flowers and grasses around us. What’s also nice is that you can hear the water as it rushes over the overflow edge. Leaves are gathered in a gutter and collected in the drum of the overflow system. This is a very low-maintenance pool.”

Sea of flowers

A sea of flowers and grasses such as Digitalis (foxglove), Kniphofia (red hot pokers), echinacea (coneflower) and aquilegia each vie for the best spot in the sun. A simple path structure around the pool provides access to the space, while a compact brushed concrete terrace has just enough space for a table with a few chairs. “This place evolved very organically and spontaneously. We started by looking at the sun’s position, designing everything around this spot.” Previously, the farm had a baker’s cottage with an oven. Accordingly, Koen had a new cottage built by the pool with a pizza oven and a space for the pool equipment.

Since adding the swimming pool, the mini swimming pond - adjacent to the office area - has fallen into disuse. The swimming pond is now a mirror pond, and the cosy terrace with herb garden has become one of the couple’s favourite spots to sit after office hours and on weekends.

Natural pond

The garden pond has been completely transformed into a natural oasis with carefully designed embankments that look very natural. These were built with the clay soil that was unearthed when they dug a cellar under the house. The pond is completely surrounded by a reed bed. Koen added a bird-watching hut among the reeds. The wooden cottage sits partly over the water and has a green roof. From here, you can spot birds and even a grey heron if you’re lucky. A beekeeper has installed some hives in a quiet spot on the other bank. Koen built a new and bigger pontoon with his son, with a wooden jetty and row boat completing the idyllic picture. Here, the family enjoys the soothing water at sunset.


About NOA:
NOA outdoor living is an experience park for outdoor design in Kruisem. In the theme gardens, you can find inspiration to decorate your garden. These gardens combine architecture, landscape, and interior, and welcome architects, landscape architects, designers, and contractors as well as private prospects. In this inspiration park, you will find luxurious garden furniture and designs by more than 30 high-end partners, who are happy to advise you as you bring your dream garden to life. Moreover, the park is the perfect professional networking location; the conference rooms, covered patio, spacious showroom, and plaza of NOA outdoor living are the ideal setting for your conference, product presentation, or product launch



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