Landscape Design for The Valsad Bungalow
An 80-year-old heritage home reimagined. Here, landscape and architecture dissolve into one another, creating a dialogue between the bungalow's rich history and the lush, native greenery that embraces it.
A misty morning in the central passage of the Valsad home. I used layers of shade-loving plants like ferns and large-leafed Alocasia to create a cool, tranquil atmosphere that connects different parts of the house.
This view shows the main walkway, where the wooden ceiling and brick walls are softened by a dense planting of tropical greens. The design ensures that nature is a constant companion as you move through the home.
A glimpse from an upper level shows how greenery is integrated into every part of the architecture. Potted ferns are placed to be seen from multiple vantage points, making the connection to the outdoors feel constant and layered.
A reclaimed wooden door features a mirror that reflects the garden, cleverly bringing the landscape inside. This detail is part of a larger strategy to ensure every corner of the home has a connection to the green spaces I designed.
A simple woven charpoy sits in a covered verandah, surrounded by ferns and cascading creepers. This space was designed as a quiet outdoor lounge, perfect for enjoying the garden while being sheltered from the elements.
This image, featured in Elle Decor, highlights the traditional swing and reclaimed wooden pillars. The surrounding landscape, with its dense foliage, was designed to create a private, enclosed feeling for this outdoor seating area.
Looking from the interior living space out into a courtyard. The perforated brick wall allows for light and air circulation while providing a beautiful backdrop for the trees, demonstrating how landscape and architecture can work together.
I am so proud to see this project featured in Elle Decor India. The cover story, 'Brick, Mortar, and Memories,' perfectly captures the soulful integration of landscape and heritage that we aimed for.
This magazine spread highlights how the sense of being outdoors unfolds in layers. The placement of potted plants in this interior nook provides a green view, connecting it to the larger garden spaces beyond.
A detail from the Elle Decor feature, showing the courtyard with its mix of mature trees and new plantings. My goal was to make the new landscape feel as established and rooted as the original home.
About The Valsad Bungalow: A House of Memories
In this project, we used reflective surfaces like vintage mirrors on reclaimed wooden doors to pull the garden deeper into the living spaces. It is not just about planting; it is about ensuring that whether you are in the bedroom or the kitchen, the greenery is always a part of your view, blurring the boundary between your home and the outdoors.
Restoring a 1939 bungalow requires a delicate touch. The landscape design here was never about overriding the architecture, but rather softening it. By collaborating closely with the architects, we allowed the home to breathe through layers of shade-loving ferns, large-leafed Alocasia, and dense tropical foliage.
Blending Old and New
We treated the garden as a bridge between the home's past and present. The brick and reclaimed wood architecture provided a warm, rustic texture, which we complemented with natural stone pathways and strategically placed potted ferns. This creates a rhythm as you move from the indoors to the semi-open courtyards.
Plant Strategy
For this project, we prioritized a layered planting strategy that provides privacy while maintaining a sense of openness. We selected species that thrive in the local climate, ensuring the garden requires less maintenance while staying vibrant throughout the seasons. The result is a series of quiet, intimate corners that change throughout the day as light shifts across the leaves.
Living with Nature
Every room in this bungalow has a connection to the green pockets we created. By integrating vertical creepers and ensuring that every window frames a view of the landscape, we turned the entire property into a living, breathing space. It is a home that feels like it has existed for decades, anchored by the landscape we carefully introduced.
Hemali Landscape Studio
I am Hemali. My work at this Valsad bungalow was driven by a single goal: to let the history of this eighty-year-old home breathe again alongside nature. We did not just plant a garden; we created a living space that feels like it has always belonged here, right alongside the brick and reclaimed wood.
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