t’s not always easy to spot the couple interested in considering a sensual landscape for their backyard. The reality, however, is that many couples are thinking about it. Sex is integral to relationships, with some studies showing that 40 percent of men and 35 percent of women believe it’s instrumental to a happy relationship.
There are generally two types of clients who want an intimate poolscape. First are young, upwardly mobile couples without children. Second are the empty-nesters — baby boomers whose children have fled the coop and who are now rekindling relationships with their spouses.
But don’t assume that you have the client pegged. “Communication is important. Someone might think a waterfall is romantic, some may not,” says Miriam R. Davis, a certified sex therapist in West Palm Beach, Fla. “We’re all unique and we all have different things that are pleasing and pleasurable to us.”
Avoid asking direct questions such as, “Do you want to have sex in your backyard?” Instead, allow the topic to come up on its own by finding out what kind of setting the clients would like to create.
“Present them with a couple of ideas because they might not have any clue. Or you can show people different projects and see what appeals to them. It’s important to be sensitive,” Davis says.
A sense of humor also helps break the ice. “I sometimes tell clients with a wink, especially the husbands, that their warranty is void if they wear a swimsuit in the spa,” says Scott Cohen, president of The Green Scene Landscape Design & Construction in Canoga Park, Calif.
If you are uncomfortable bringing up the subject altogether, ask if the client is interested in certain additions, such as a hidden rock grotto, private hammock or two-person spa. Their responses might provide insight into the type of rendezvous they plan to enjoy in the backyard.
Keep in mind, sensuality and sex are intimate topics with plenty of taboos, whether cultural or regional. For instance, in large cities such as Miami, Dallas or Los Angeles, the subject may be easy to address. But in the Midwest and more rural areas, designs tend to be tamer.
