KAWEA

Kawea is a private family residence in Indian Wells, set beneath mature palms with the Santa Rosa Mountains as a backdrop. The property already had many of the qualities that make a desert garden appealing—an existing pool, established canopy trees, and plenty of open space—but lacked a clear framework to connect them.

Toffey Studio worked with what was already there. A grassy island at the pool’s edge creates an intimate gathering area with open views from the house, while a mountain-facing firepit, bordered in stone and decomposed granite, gives the larger landscape a central place to gather. Nearby, a shaded circular garden with a four-person table offers a quieter setting for afternoon tea or dinner outside.

Shade-tolerant cycads, cardboard palms, and layers of geometric planting form a lush understory beneath the mature canopy. The planting brings structure and texture to the property while preserving its sense of openness.

The garden feels settled into the site: green, shaded, and subtly glamorous, with the mountains always present beyond it.

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