The brief
The owners had a long garden that rose steeply away from the house and was used for nothing. They wanted somewhere to sit near the kitchen, a level lawn for the children, and planting that looked good from the house all year.
The challenge
A rise of almost three metres from the back door to the top of the garden, heavy clay that held water at the foot of the slope, and every tonne of material carried through a side passage.
What we did
We cut the slope into three broad terraces held by brick retaining walls, with a land drain behind each one. Steps rise through the middle, and deep borders soften every wall, so the garden reads as planting rather than structure.
