Etobicoke Backyard Design: Privacy Solutions for Hydro Corridor Lots

This project started in a familiar way: the homeowner first reached out after seeing one of our previous fiberglass pool installation projects. The original scope was focused on the build-side of the pool—permit support, excavation, and installation planning.

But after our first meeting (and walking through past design concepts and real on-site photos), the conversation naturally expanded. The client wanted a backyard that felt organized, private, and easy to maintain—not just a pool dropped into an open lawn. So we moved forward with full site inventory, analysis, and a complete concept layout.

Site Context: Open at the Back, Busy Around the Edges

One of the defining conditions here is what sits behind the property. Instead of a typical rear neighbour, the backyard backs onto a hydro corridor / public green space—wide open, very “Canadian,” and visually exposed.

Within a short walking distance (around 50m), there’s also a plaza and a school, which means more daily movement, traffic, and noise than many residential streets. In other words: the view is open, but the yard still needs to feel protected.

Grading is gentle. The house sits slightly higher and the yard slopes subtly toward the rear, which helps with drainage and makes the space feel continuous rather than terraced.

Another key constraint: the main access to the backyard is not from a rear door, but from a side-yard exit. That changes everything—from circulation, to sightlines, to what the homeowner sees the moment they step outside.

Site Inventory: What We Had to Work Around (and Keep)

We began with an initial site measure using manual checks paired with 3D mapping / scan tools to confirm proportions and existing conditions.

The design needed to respect several major existing elements:

• A mature tree on the east side of the backyard that needed to be preserved

• A 7’ x 7’ hot tub located near the house (northwest corner area)

• A pre-ordered pool: a 10’ x 12’ “Tuscan” fiberglass model, intended to sit near the rear fence line

These are “big anchors”—once they’re fixed, the layout becomes less about endless options and more about making the best plan that feels intentional.

The Client’s Priorities

The client’s goals were clear and practical:

1. More privacy + less noiseThe existing fence was a 4' chain link, and the surrounding context made it feel exposed.

2. A strong wood element for outdoor livingThey wanted a ground-level wooden deck as a dedicated sitting zone, plus a pergola near the pool area.

3. Low maintenance—especially plantingThey preferred a landscape that leans on trees and ornamental grasses, supported by simple shrubs and dependable perennials.

Concept Plan: Clean Zones, Connected by Lawn

Because the yard is relatively flat and the “must-keep” items are substantial, the overall concept had a fairly logical direction:

• Create two main hardscape zones in the backyard

• Connect those zones with lawn + a wood deck transition

• Build a layout that feels modern, calm, and easy to use

In the end, we organized the yard into three seating / activity areas:

1. A patio zone close to the house

2. A ground-level wood deck sitting area

3. A pool patio + pergola zone near the rear

A continuous lawn area becomes the “soft connector” that links all three.

This approach keeps circulation simple and intuitive, and it avoids the common issue in larger backyards: too much empty grass with no structure.

Circulation and Sightlines: Designed for the Side-Yard Entry

Since the main entry is from the west side-yard, the first view into the backyard matters. The layout and planting strategy were designed to guide movement and attention:

• The circulation line pulls you forward through the space (instead of forcing you into the middle of an open yard).

• The preserved tree becomes a natural “screen” near the pool zone—adding privacy without feeling forced.

• Each zone reveals itself in sequence, rather than everything being visible at once.

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Materials Strategy: Modern, Minimal, and Built to Look Sharp

Even if the scope ends up being design-only (and construction is handled separately), we still coordinate material intent early—because materials define the final feeling.

Our direction here was to keep the hardscape crisp and modern:

• Porcelain or large-format stone where possible

• Clean joints, strong edges, and minimal visual noise

• Simple geometry as the base language, with planting softening the borders

The overall style stays strongly rectilinear, and where we introduce softer moves, it’s as a secondary layer—small planting curves, stepping elements, and detailed edges that keep the garden from feeling too rigid.

Planting Strategy: A Three-Layer Privacy System (with Winter Interest)

To meet the privacy goal without creating a “green wall that needs constant work,” we used a simple three-layer approach:

1) Trees as the upper structure

A mix of Hornbeam and pear tree forms the backbone, helping frame the yard and soften the open rear condition.

2) Shrubs for mass and year-round stability

Selections like Inkberry and Globe Cedar add evergreen structure and reduce the seasonal “empty” feeling.

3) Low layer: ornamental grasses + dependable perennials

This is where the garden gets its movement and softness, with plants like Japanese grass (Hakonechloa) and supporting perennials such as Coral Bells.

Winter interest (important in the GTA)

To keep the backyard visually alive past fall, we also consider shrubs with strong winter presence, such as:

• Winterberry (berries + structure)

• Dogwood (stem colour and seasonal contrast)

• Additional evergreen elements where needed

The goal is not to make winter “colourful,” but to make it feel intentional, so the yard doesn’t collapse into bare mulch and empty space.

Detail Zones: Where We Add Depth (Plants + Lighting)

To avoid a clean modern layout feeling flat, we focus detail where people actually spend time:

• More layered planting around the main seating zones

• Lighting that highlights texture, edges, and focal points

• A few clear focal moments, rather than trying to decorate the entire yard evenly

When planting and lighting work together, the space holds up not only in summer, but also at night—and through the off-season.

This Etobicoke backyard is a good example of what happens when a project starts with a pool, but ends with a full outdoor living plan. With major elements already fixed—pool, hot tub, preserved tree—the value comes from designing a layout that feels organized, private, and easy to maintain.

A clean modern backyard doesn’t need to feel empty. With the right zoning, materials, and a three-layer planting strategy, it can feel structured and calm—while still changing beautifully through the seasons.