Summer, sun and water
Tony Milne from Rough Milne Mitchell Landscape Architects shares his thoughts on the festive season and the benefits of swimming in a natural pool.
This summer, we have wanderlust; we have yet to figure out exactly where, though. Like many, there’s no better place to celebrate the festive season than by the water’s edge. In preparation, some of us wax, others tone, some pre-tan while a good number dust off the trunks worn last summer. Some of us do so with trepidation. Ironically, it is an overcast rainy day as I sit down to write this.
Not all is lost. It is the perfect day to crack into Christmas pudding production; they simmer away on the stovetop. I’m not sure if I have previously mentioned, but the transition from the late Nana Doris’ traditional recipe to a plant-based one is complete. While possibly disapproving, she’ll be happy to know her pot, measuring cup and teaspoon are still in use. Not all tradition is lost. Doris can rest easy.
With the puddings simmering away, out of the corner of my eye, I am also keeping an eye on Selling Sunset, a real estate programme on Netflix that has captured half the family’s attention. A programme based on the premise that people are interested in glamorous self-centred, Botox-filled, chest-augmented, fashion house attired female real estate agents, who are marketing, for the most part, ostentatious properties to similarly vain prospective buyers. All set in Los Angeles.
Tragic as it is, I do find myself watching. Continuing professional development, of course. My interest primarily is the properties themselves, and in most cases, the stunning swimming pools, the majority of which cling to or project beyond cliff and hillside edges. A number are infinity, others incorporate spas and very few have fences!
As dramatic as they are, some of the pools (almost but not quite) steal the show from the heels, dresses, and behaviour swings of the main subjects. While some are stunning, I do prefer something a little more natural. We have tried to do this with our work at the Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools and Spa over the last 25 odd years. Taking inspiration from some of the natural springs within the high country, attempting to capture the spirit of the place.
When it comes to natural, it isn’t a case of just trying to create or recreate a setting. I’d love to be able to convince clients to adopt a more natural or living pool system – a European ideal. We have been involved in one pool, where a biofilter, in combination with a phosphorous filter, enable the biological and physiological purification of the water. No chlorine or other chemicals required. Our clients and their friends love the feel of the water.
How about a natural pool, one that involves a wetland zone with flora and fauna, keeping the pool clear and alive. Nothing fake here. For those in the know, imagine the Source of the Riuwaka River, albeit a little warmer, in your backyard. Some of the cleanest, clearest water imaginable. The Source is a favourite of ours, and perhaps our travels this summer will take us there.
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