An Annapolis family with three young kids contacted Scapes, Inc., to turn their flat, blank-slate backyard into an expansive outdoor-living retreat, complete with pool, pavilion, built-in kitchen and bar. “The hardscape is extensive and connects to the house via an ipe deck with a stainless-steel cable railing,” explains principal Jeff Crandell, who designed the landscape. The deck leads down a few steps to a Pennsylvania bluestone patio that surrounds the pool.

Anchoring the far end of the pool, a 20-by-20-foot pavilion provides gathering room with a fireplace and TV; automatic screens protect the enclosure from insects and the fireplace makes it usable into the chillier months. To one side of the structure, an al fresco dining area is bordered by a built-in kitchen made of Aspen veneer stone and topped with honed granite; it houses a grill, sink, refrigerator and icemaker. An attached bar overlooks the pool, which features three copper spillways flowing from a raised stone beam along one side. Lighting has been incorporated on the deck steps and around the patio, while uplights along the perimeter of the property foster an intimate vibe at night.

Plantings include Bloodgood Japanese maples and blooming perennials such as hydrangea, viburnum, rhododendron and roses. Ornamental grasses soften the landscape.

Landscape Design & Installation: Jeff Crandell, Scapes, Inc., Annapolis, Maryland. Photography: Jeff Crandell