cpartist wow that ks truly beautiful. How did you get away without having to put up a baby barrier? I thought it was mandatory? Thank you. We are retirees so no babies. We have a fence around the whole property and when we got our CO we had alarms on all windows and doors. Anyways, I love your design, and everything about your pictures. I totally see your points in regards to having a stem wall, I'm just not sure we can justify the additional cost. 3 of the pool builders we have been in contact with have told us a stem wall would increase the price by $7,500-$10,000. I honestly don't know what the price would have been without the stem wall because I never asked. Most of our friends are older and I figured it would be easier on them too if they didn't have to climb up and down stairs to get to the pool. Also with you bring in South Florida and not having a screen how do you like it? How are the bugs? I prefer not having the screen. When I go to a house with screening, I feel like I'm in a cage. However, We have no large overhanging trees and I'm also only 3 blocks from the bay and we almost always have a breeze here so the bugs haven't been bad at all. (Unless you consider the army worm caterpillar infestation we just had in our planter box. All those pretty pink flowers are now gone between what the caterpillars ate and what we pulled out. Sigh.) If I lived further east, I would have definitely done a cage because the bugs are definitely more prevalent. Thanks again!

I would center the garden area with chicken coop on the backside of the pool. Make a wider grand entrance and transition possibly using an arbor. The way you show it to the side does not balance. If possible I would put the shed along a wall on the back of the house convenient for the pool suppplies. I would place all gardening tools in an area back with the chickens as this will be closer for gardening as well. Best wishes!

It does not work well to start a second thread about the same project you already have a thread started for. Keep all the conversation on the other thread or it would get splintered and confusing. If you are able to delete this one, that would be the best thing to do. I left a comment for you on your other thread yesterday. Monitor it and take part in the dialogue if you want it to go.

lkloes: Thank you for your perspective on that. :-) Maureen: Thank you. I actually have solar lights back there and spotlights on the columns and it looks super cool at night. I currently have lady slipper plants behind the wall, which have bright orange flowers at certain times of the year and which will eventually grow more, but perhaps I should consider other plants. Dig Doug: That's amazing how you did that and I love the result. I really like the stone veneer on each side of the center while leaving the center painted. I would have never thought of that. Sadly, I have killed a number of Sago Palms so it would have to be something else in the side pots. I don't know why they don't like me! I love the blue agave behind the wall. They would tie into several I already have behind that iron view fence. Thank you!