Photography: David Cook for The Block/Channel 9
Backyard and pool week on The Block has to be one of the most exciting reveals throughout the season. If the contestants thought renovating a room in a week was difficult, landscaping is a whole other ball game. Quite literally this year, with a couple of the teams installing basketball courts, along with fire pits, pizza ovens and a sensational pool at every house.
An attractive backyard is pivotal in the sale of a home, so the outcome of this week will impact their auction results significantly. Research shows that well-executed landscaping can add up to 28 per cent to your home’s value, and taking your backyard from ‘good’ to ‘excellent’ can help you get top dollar when you decide to sell.
Having an entertainer’s backyard takes the Great Australian Dream to the next level and the 2024 contestants have achieved this with ahead-of-the-game landscaping designs. To judge the reveals, landscaping expert Dave Franklin joined The Block judges Shaynna Blaze, Darren Palmer and Marty Fox, making the scores out of 40.
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Before we get to who won (and who underwhelmed), here are five of the best ideas to steal for your own backyard.
1. Pizza oven by Maddy and Charlotte
Pizza is a popular meal choice, with 1 in 3 Australians eating it at least once a week and 15 per cent of households now having a pizza oven at their home. Will it ever replace the barbecue completely? Possibly not, but more people are seeking them as an additional feature these days. So professional house flippers Maddy and Charlotte nailed their design by including a built-in pizza oven. With stepping stones leading to it from the deck and a curved timber-topped seat nearby, it makes for a novelty extra on their real-estate listing.
2. Outdoor shower by Courtney and Grant
Given the homes are on Phillip Island with sandy beaches nearby, having an outdoor shower is a smart inclusion. It adds a luxurious touch that will give potential buyers the extra nudge they need to sign on the dotted line. “They’ve always known how to sell the dream,” said judge Shaynna Blaze. A backyard shower is definitely an idea to emulate in any coastal home.
3. Basketball court by Mimi and Kristian
Nothing says ‘high-end property’ these days like a basketball court. They’re truly the new tennis court. A hoop in the driveway was the norm in years gone by, but the latest luxury iteration is a professional-standard court with built-in hoop. Seasoned The Block landscaper Tom Lovett (who has helped two previous teams win landscaping week) says the expectation is to create a court large enough to include a three-point line. That’s exactly what he’s done in Kristian and Mimi’s House 5 backyard.
4. Entertainer’s pool by Ricky and Haydn
Bigger is usually better when it comes to pools, and Ricky and Haydn have delivered. “The biggest pool is a massive selling feature,” said judge Marty. “It separates them from the others that we’ve seen.” Adding the toys is a nice touch that will help buyers envision their lifestyle here. “It’s the fun house. We’ve got beach balls, we’ve got lilos,” observed Shaynna. Including an expansive deck and a bar and stools nearby means you never need to leave.
5. Fire pit by Courtney and Grant
There were a few fire pits this year, but the one at House 3 was the standout. Not only did they pour a curved concrete bench but they also included comfortable outdoor armchairs for those who want to lounge for longer. The key was paving the base, which meant those with bare feet could happily transition from one zone to another comfortably. It’s a clever inclusion to make the most of the outdoors during the cooler months.
All of The Block 2024 backyards and pools
Here’s how all the teams went in the week 11 reveals.
1st place: Courtney and Grant
Given Grant is a landscape business manager outside The Block, these two were always top contenders to win landscaping week. The experience showed, with Courtney and Grant having a considerably cruisy week compared to the other contestants. They completed five different zones, including a large deck off the living area with an undercover dining space and barbecue.
“This indoor-outdoor flow is what people pay for,” said Marty. “This is what gets them emotionally connected to a property – envisaging themselves with their family and friends, feeling at home.”
The timber posts positioned either side of the walkway looked “unfinished” to Marty, but landscaping expert Dave Franklin disagreed. “This is garden art,” he said. He also liked the edible plants in the garden. “What’s better than having olive trees, lemon trees and even your bay leaf trees? Everything you need to cook for your barbecue is here right in front of you,” he said.
“I love how they’ve used the posts as part of the pool fence,” said Shaynna. “It’s just gorgeous.” All of the usable zones, including a pizza oven, impressed the judges. “This is just value, value, value,” said Darren. “There are so many different functions, from entertaining to sitting around enjoying a fire pit, to all the different cooking options.” Both Darren and Shaynna scored the couple a 10 and they walked away with $30k to add to their front yard budget.
Score: 39/40 ($30k)
“This is 35 to 40 metres of perfection.”
Marty Fox
2nd place: Maddy and Charlotte
A mid-week disaster saw a budget benchtop the sisters sourced for their barbecue area being removed from site as it contained 70 per cent silica, which is now deemed illegal. “It’s got to go,” said Foreman Dan. Their back-up plan was to cover the bench in grooved panelling, which the judges loved for its durability and simplicity. “It looks incredible,” said Shaynna.
Landscaper Dave was pleased that they retained the existing paperbark trees, while introducing plants that fit the relaxed feeling. “We’ve got tea tree here, we’ve got lilly pilly, we’ve got the blechnums there, we’ve got a very coastal palette of trees here and a lot of lawn as well,” he said.
“They’ve created privacy through how these plants will grow over time,” said Marty. The real-estate agent also pointed out the benefits of having a dining area that’s undercover but not too shady. “This is all afternoon sun, so when you’re having those barbecues with family, you’ve got that beautiful light coming through. This is a real entertainer’s dream.”
Although not as big as Mimi and Kristian’s basketball court, Maddy and Charlotte’s court was still an incredible inclusion. Positioned next to the spiral staircase that enters the self-contained studio, the business-savvy sisters have created a highly-marketable package.
Score: 37/40
“This is a really heavy-hitting, big swing of a backyard.”
Darren Palmer
3rd place: Kristian and Mimi
“I love the mosaic tiling,” said Darren about the finish on the large pool at House 5. “As soon as you walk in, you’re drawn to it. It screams resort,” Dave agreed. Although they only had a small deck with two chairs, there was plenty of grass nearby to sit on and “be part of the pool environment,” as Shaynna put it.
“It makes you feel coastal,” said Marty of the backyard. There were piers wrapped in rope, that were appropriate for Phillip Island. Plus a rowing boat that had been repurposed as a drink station by the dining area. While a smoker for cooking was placed here, the barbecue Mimi and Kristian won in a previous week was noticeably missing.
It had been placed on the upstairs balcony, but the judges felt this would be a better spot for it. “When you’re playing in the pool, just to have a sausage on bread is one of the easiest things,” said Shaynna. “You don’t want to go running upstairs.” Next to the basketball court was a fire pit surrounded by a dry stone wall. “It’s a cracker,” said Darren.
Score: 35/40
4th place: Ricky and Haydn
After losing a couple of landscapers throughout the season, mates Ricky and Haydn were left high and dry when it came to backyard week. That didn’t deter them though and they took on the job themselves with the help of builder and former The Block All Star Duncan Millar. Top of the agenda was a large wraparound lawn for playing games of cricket and footy.
While Shaynna was underwhelmed at first, she turned the corner to discover a whole lot more than lawn. “We’ve got a swing set, we’ve got sculpture, we now have all the curves,” she said. The swing set was a standout for the judges, with its custom timber frame. “There’s no way that will be shaking,” said Dave.
Their backyard may not have had the finesse a landscaper could have achieved, but it did bring the fun. “It’s consistent with the inside of the house in that it’s fun and it’s planned really beautifully for holiday living,” said Darren. “It’s not as chic but it’s fun.”
Score: 32/40
5th place: Kylie and Brad
The married parents of four had a tumultuous week, with delivery delays setting them so far back that landscaper Tom Lovett from House 5 had his team help them out so they could finish. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough and the judges were unimpressed. “It’s giving me absolutely nothing,” said Dave. The faux stone stacking around the pool didn’t resonate. “I don’t love fake tiles. That, to me, is killing every stonemason in Australia right now.”
“It really just feels like a water feature, even though it’s such a big pool,” said Marty. The boardwalk alongside stepping stones was confusing and there wasn’t enough decking for Darren’s liking. “You have lots of walkways, lots of different heights and different materials but not a lot of function, not a lot of enjoyable space,” he said.
The fire pit could have been improved by tiling the entire ground area. “You’re not walking over here in bare feet from the pool. It’s not that inviting,” said Dave. “I think the idea’s there, it just hasn’t been finished off properly.” There were pockets of unfinished zones that had potential but it wasn’t enough. “We need to judge what we’re seeing and what we’re seeing is a really poorly planned, uninviting space,” said Marty.
Score: 27/40
“There’s nothing exciting about this that says, ‘Come and hang in my backyard.’”
Shaynna Blaze
Tune into The Block 2024 on Sundays at 7pm and Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 7.30pm on Channel 9 and 9Now.
Take a tour of all The Block holiday houses so far
Week 5: Main bedrooms and walk-in robe reveals
Week 8: Living and dining reveals
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