I LANDSCAPE INSIGHT
Arushi Bhatnagar
Fiona Environs, Creative Director
Creating an oasis in the desert
Entertaining at home is the cornerstone of Emirati social life and optimizing outdoor space is key, Fiona Environs shares a residential garden project that does just this By: Fiona Environs Starting from square one With a knack for overcoming obstacles using contemporary techniques and cutting-edge execution, the Fiona Environs team was given a blank canvas with the client’s garden. Quite literally. With nothing but sand and a built-in swimming pool - that could be a safety hazard for the client’s young child - Fiona Environs was tasked with making the space look stylish, while also keeping it safe for young children. “We only just had the pool constructed, and we needed to test it to ensure it works. We surrounded the pool with a protective - yet elegant glass fence. The client’s main objective was to use the outdoor area as a social space, and somewhere for his children to play. So we created pockets of open spaces in between”, says Arushi Bhatnagar, Creative Director at Fiona Environs.
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Transporting guests to an urban oasis The UAE receives an abundance of sunshine throughout the year, making plants that aren’t heavily watered wilt, and outdoor spaces obsolete during the summer. Despite these conditions, we were determined to create an oasis in the client’s home. An olive tree, with its dramatic height and cultural significance, was specially sourced as a statement piece for the garden. This paved the way for other natural design statements to accentuate the space. Bamboo plants were used to enhance privacy and low-hydration plants were installed. “The olive tree is about 19 feet tall - an unusual sight in the GCC. Olive trees are native to the Levantine region, and also grow in countries with warmer climes like Portugal and California”, Arushi says. “We wanted to create a focal point at the heart of the garden that provides a mesmerizing element to the garden and view”.
