From ’90s pool to modern courtyard: Inside a gold award-winning waterfront landscape

LOCATION Dunedin, Fla.

DETAILS Situated in a quaint waterfront neighborhood, this coastal project renovated the home with four distinct areas.

On one side of the small seashell road that cuts through the front yard is the water and 200-foot dock, which was subcontracted out to receive modern upgrades, plus a newly installed brick pathway with a patio and fireplace. On the other side is the main house and the front yard, showcasing the revamped landscape with Florida-native plantings like muhly grass, cocoplum hedges and salt-tolerant green island ficus.

At the back of the property was the large garage and guest house, and situated in between the two structures was a pool area, which was completely renovated from a busy, ’90s aesthetic. Randy Lee, the owner of Landscapes by Randy Lee, says there was a lot of work to get this courtyard-like area up to the latest standards.

“On one end of it … (the client) wanted to incorporate a large hot tub that it didn’t have before,” he says. “It wasn’t just a cosmetic renovation; it was really structural.”

The project was completed in December 2024, meaning one of the biggest challenges Lee’s team faced was pushing through Hurricanes Helene and Milton, which struck in September and October, respectively that year. Despite these massive setbacks, the site’s eventual completion won a gold award from the National Association of Landscape Professionals’ Awards of Excellence program thanks to the multiple facets of this peaceful waterfront design.

“I think that’s what really makes the property unique,” Lee says. “You’ve got a lot of different areas to enjoy and use.”