From Floodplain to Backyard Oasis

I had a pool installed three years ago. I chose a kidney shape because I love the '50s. It's vinyl with a black liner, which keeps the water warm. I love that I don’t have to deal with nasty chemicals. Instead, I have a generator that makes chlorine out of salt. The water is soft, so your skin doesn't dry out. And I built a flower bed by the pool, where I plant sunflowers in spring. By midsummer, they tower over the pool, and I can watch birds eating the seeds as I swim. How cool is that?

I've named my house Tesserae, which means shards of glass or tiles used to make a mosaic. This house, the plants, and everything else in my gardens are a mosaic, just like my life. When you love something, all the little pieces just fall into place. Shown here is the bluestone patio around my kidney-shaped pool, a sizable splurge. But, it provides a welcome place for relaxing in one of my mosaic-topped chairs in the cool of the evening.