The Best Back Yard in Coral Gables?
Maybe Not The Best, But Hard To Beat
One of the things that makes this back yard garden area so special is how it makes maximum use of a limited amount of space. Nestled within a lush tropical paradise originally designed by renowned landscape architect Raymond Jungles, the 1988 residence was already ahead of its time and has been thoughtfully updated to include modern finishes and appliances.
The pool area has a trapezoidal layout which abuts a small structure that contains an outdoor kitchen and bar, linked to the main house via key stone tiles that flow throughout the space, their cool beige surfaces enhancing the bright and open atmosphere. The use of dark wood for the outdoor dining furniture, with overhead pergola and globe lighting, contrasts with the bright flooring and marble bar.
“The landscaping is so rich that we have to trim it back,” says owner Susan Lewis. “But it provides a great background and makes it feel like we are in a tropical enclave.” The kitchen is more than just a functional space — it becomes the centerpiece of a outdoor entertainment area that embraces Coral Gables’ indoor-outdoor lifestyle with understated elegance.
COOL POOLS
“The art of designing one of my pools is all about picking up details from the home,” says Ray Corral, AKA The Mosaicist, who has now installed his unique mosaic designs in more than 35 pools in Coral Gables. While his Gables-based company has created designs for pools across the country, Corral says that the Gables is his favorite place to install his underwater mosaics, because the historic homes here provide the most interesting palette.
“It’s the historical elements that I find fascinating,” says Corral, who founded his company in the Gables 30 years ago. Since then, he has completed 700 mosaics nationwide, all of which are composed of handmade glass tiles manufactured by artisanal
craftsmen in Mexico. His team of installers, which he has recruited from craftsmen in Europe and the Americas, travel to their locations for the installation – after Corral does the design work himself, in consultation with the client.
“It’s very hard to find these sorts of craftsmen in the States, so I’ve had to build my
team from overseas talent,” he says.
SECRET GARDENS
In the classic children’s book “The Secret Garden” by Frances Hodgson Burnett, an orphaned girl sent to live with her uncle discovers a hidden, neglected garden. With the help of a neighborhood boy, she brings the garden back to life – transforming herself and others around her.
That’s one take on the power of a secret garden. The other is from “Candide” by Voltaire, where the protagonist experiences a lifetime of calamities, including war, earthquakes, and slavery. After all his struggles, he ends up in a walled garden in Odessa and declares, “We must cultivate our garden,” and through it find meaning and solace.
Here in the Gables – thanks in part to our semi-tropical environment – the art of creating a garden is a year-round religion for some. They are not all public spaces, however, but often hidden enclaves, providing solace and solitude for their owners. Here, then, are a few of city’s hidden gems. And, of course, we won’t tell you where they are.
Above: A Sunken Garden in a Historic George Merrick-Built Home Near the Venetian Pool
Bottom Right : A Heavily Landscaped Inner Circle Hidden Away in the Normandy Village
Bottom Left: An Oak Tree in This South Gables Garden, Enhanced by Stag Horns and Monsteras
