West University

A West U backyard with a pool, a raised fire feature and a large mature tree standing right in the middle of the usable space. The turf is laid around the trunk and out to the pool, with mulched planting taken up to the base of the tree.

A tree of that size makes the ground beneath it uninhabitable for grass — dense shade plus roots taking every drop of water. Working around it, the base is built up rather than excavated near the root plate so the tree is left intact, and the turf still finishes level with the paving. The rest of the West U set is the same yard treated as a green room: an open lawn with stone treads set flush into it, clipped trees, and a stone boundary wall.