Light grey paving, gravel borders and raised planting beds set the tone from the first step in this modern wellness garden. The layout is built around clear routes and distinct garden zoning, so each area has its own use and rhythm. A lounge terrace sits slightly apart from the dining area, while the wellness corner is tucked away with a jacuzzi and outdoor shower placed for privacy. The result is a garden with level changes that reads as a series of outdoor rooms rather than one open surface.

Rooms made by lines, steps and changes in height

The strongest move in the design is the way the space is divided. Straight edges pull the eye across the garden, then a change in level interrupts that line and creates a new place to sit or walk. Large concrete steps connect the terraces and give the garden a measured rise and fall. That shift is modest, but it changes how the whole plot is experienced. You move from one zone to the next instead of taking in everything at once, which gives the modern garden design its structure.

At the back, the lounge area catches the softer evening light. It sits close to the planting and away from the dining terrace, so it feels set apart without being closed off. The table terrace works differently. It is positioned for shade at mealtimes, and the broad surface leaves enough room for a large table and chairs. This careful garden zoning makes the garden work through the day, not just from one viewpoint.

Concrete terrace edges and paving that define the surface

Concrete terrace edges do more than finish the paving here. They draw a sharp outline around each platform, making the transitions between terrace, gravel and planting bed easy to read. On the lounge terrace, grey Schellevis slabs in 60 x 60 x 7 cm format extend slightly beyond the edge, so the platform appears to float above the ground. It is a small detail, but it changes the way the terrace meets the surrounding materials.

Nearby, larger slabs create a long route beside the jacuzzi. Their size gives the path weight, and the repeated joints keep the line calm. The steps, made from Schellevis elements of 100 x 40 x 20 cm, reinforce the garden with level changes. They are not decorative extras. They are part of the circulation, linking raised areas to lower ones and making the transitions feel intentional rather than forced.

Gravel stepping stones through the side route

One of the most graphic moments is the path of gravel stepping stones. The staggered Schellevis edging elements, used as stepping stones, sit within the gravel and break the route into short, direct moves. The contrast between the rough stone surface and the loose aggregate gives the passage a lighter feel. It is a practical solution, but it also keeps the side zones visually open. The eye still reads the planting beds, the path and the terrace edge as separate layers.

Gravel appears in more than one place, and that repetition helps the whole garden feel consistent. It frames the paving, softens the hard surfaces and leaves space for low planting to move around the edges. The borders do not try to hide the construction. Instead, they make the layout readable, which suits a modern wellness garden where the materials are part of the composition.

A private wellness corner with jacuzzi and outdoor shower

The wellness area is set up with privacy in mind. The jacuzzi and outdoor shower are placed so there is no direct view from neighbouring gardens, and the raised concrete planters help screen the corner further. That means the zone can be used without the feeling of being exposed. The wooden platform around the jacuzzi adds another material shift, lifting the water element away from the surrounding paving and making the area feel distinct within the wider layout.

From a distance, the corner is calm rather than hidden. Planting softens the edges of the enclosure, while the structure of the timber and concrete keeps the zone legible. This is where the idea of outdoor shower privacy becomes visible in the design itself: through placement, height and the way the borders are built up around the water zone. The garden with jacuzzi does not rely on screening alone; it uses level changes and planting to shape the experience.

Raised planters and planting that keep the hardscape from feeling flat

Although the garden is dominated by paving, the planting keeps the surfaces from feeling heavy. Steeneik, ornamental grasses and flowering perennials bring movement into the edges, and the planting plan includes catmint, liatris and knotweed. These are placed where they can be read against the concrete and gravel, not buried in it. The raised beds help the green parts sit above the pavement, so each plant cluster has a clear outline.

The contrast is especially clear in the borders beside the paths. Gravel sits beside clipped or looser planting, and the result is more layered than a simple lawn-and-terrace layout. The garden with level changes benefits from this treatment because every rise and edge needs a material response. Here, the response is measured: concrete, gravel, timber and planting all keep their own place.

Dining under the pergola, with the house line carried outward

Three pergolas hover above the dining terrace, giving the space a defined ceiling without enclosing it. Their repeated rhythm also strengthens the room-like feel of the garden zoning. The terrace beneath them is sized for a large table, and the overhead structure brings the eye back to the house line, which sits at the same height as the pergola elements. That alignment makes the whole composition feel ordered from one end to the other.

Wooden deck paths, concrete paving and gravel all meet around this dining zone, but the materials do not compete. Each one has a clear role. The timber brings a warmer surface underfoot, the paving sets the main geometry and the gravel gives the edges room to breathe. It is in these joins that the modern garden design becomes most convincing: not through decoration, but through the way surfaces are joined and repeated.

Seen from different angles, the garden keeps shifting between openness and enclosure. A bench corner, a raised terrace, a screened wellness zone and the dining area under the pergola all claim their own space. The planting keeps the hardscape from dominating, but the structure remains visible throughout. That is what gives this modern wellness garden its presence: not one gesture, but a series of clear moves, each tied to material, level and use.

Photography – Robert Koelewijn
Garden design – Taco Nas tuinontwerp
Installation – Hoveniersbedrijf van Spreuwel