The homeowners already had a pool installed, but were not happy with the hardscapes around it. This setup kept the pool area very hot during the summer months.  To address the issue, we took out all the pavers surrounding the pool and installed artificial turf to soften the area and keep it cooler during hot weather. We then added large natural boulders to create raised beds for colorful annual plantings, and added some woody & evergreen plants.  We also included a fire pit and landscape lighting to create a space that could be used at night as well as year-round.