Summary
Homeowner Bryan shares how Rockaway helped transform his backyard by tying the landscape together with the pool and creating a functional outdoor living space. Through a smooth design process and clear communication, Rockaway delivered a cohesive, low-maintenance landscape built for Florida living.
When Bryan and his family started thinking about upgrading their backyard, they knew exactly what they wanted, but needed the right team to bring it together.
“We were really looking for something that would tie the whole yard together with the pool,” Bryan explained, “and also give us a functional, usable space around the fire pit where we could actually spend time.”
From the beginning, the focus was on creating a landscape that felt cohesive, intentional, and built for how they live outdoors in Northeast Florida. The design process played a big role in that.
“The design process went really smoothly,” Bryan said. “There was a lot of good back-and-forth—ideas, questions, adjustments—until we landed on a design that really felt right for us.”
Once the project kicked off, Rockaway’s crew got to work preparing the site—clearing out old sod, weeds, and debris, regrading the space, and installing new irrigation to support healthy growth long term. Fill dirt and planting soil were added around the pool and throughout the beds to set the stage for new palms, plantings, and defined landscape borders.
As the layout started to take shape, block borders were installed to frame the design and give the yard structure. Drainage improvements were added to keep water moving away from key areas, an important detail for Florida’s sandy soils and heavy rains. New palms and landscape plants—including bird of paradise and podocarpus—were installed to bring privacy, texture, and a tropical feel to the space.
For Bryan, communication throughout the build made all the difference.
“Alex, the job foreman, did a great job,” he shared. “He asked a lot of questions and made sure we were involved throughout the process. We always knew what was happening and why.”
To finish the project, drip irrigation was installed for efficient watering, weed fabric and salt-and-pepper granite were added for a clean, low-maintenance look, and new sod was laid in the front and side yards. Fresh mulch tied everything together for a polished final result.
“It’s been an amazing process,” Bryan said. “We really appreciate all the work Rockaway did, and we’re looking forward to living in the new landscape.”
The result is an outdoor space that connects the pool, fire pit, and landscape into one cohesive, functional environment—designed around the homeowner’s vision and built to thrive in Northeast Florida.
