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Before and After
Garden Tour: An Unusable Sloping Plot is Transformed for a Family
A steeply sloping garden was cleverly landscaped to provide space for relaxing, entertaining and playing
Sloping gardens can be tricky spaces to landscape, and this one was no exception – the original plot was steep, rocky and almost impossible for the owners to navigate. So they asked garden designer Simon Orchard to help them create a space they could all enjoy, with dining and lounging areas, as well as room for the kids to play.
The final design incorporated five levels, each one with its own function. The highest terrace is next to the back of the house, and is constructed from reclaimed brick and a layer of natural limestone.
“The terrace had to be big enough to accommodate a good-sized dining table, with enough space to push the chairs back without falling into the flowerbed,” Simon says. “I usually aim for a patio size of at least 4m.”
An area of lawn is surrounded by plants that would be happy in a sunny spot with free-draining soil, including lavender, Salvia, Achillea, Penstemon, Agastache and Echinops. Evergreens such as Hebe, Euphorbia and Prunus lusitanica provide year-round interest and structure.
Jura beige limestone, London Stone.
Discover ideas for creating an outdoor dining area.
“The terrace had to be big enough to accommodate a good-sized dining table, with enough space to push the chairs back without falling into the flowerbed,” Simon says. “I usually aim for a patio size of at least 4m.”
An area of lawn is surrounded by plants that would be happy in a sunny spot with free-draining soil, including lavender, Salvia, Achillea, Penstemon, Agastache and Echinops. Evergreens such as Hebe, Euphorbia and Prunus lusitanica provide year-round interest and structure.
Jura beige limestone, London Stone.
Discover ideas for creating an outdoor dining area.
It was necessary to install a path through the lawn, but Simon didn’t want it to cut off the area too much. “A solid path would have been too chunky, but in a high-traffic area like this, we needed to add something,” he says. “Stepping stones are a great solution, as you can still see the full width of the lawn.”
A smaller terrace made from composite decking juts out from the lawn on stilts. The owners chose a luxurious day bed for this area, which fits three people and can be swivelled around for the best view.
A tricky aspect of the design was creating terraces at the right height to avoid overlooking the neighbour’s sloped garden. Red cedar fences were made bespoke to ensure they were also at the correct level for privacy.
Apple day bed, The Garden Furniture Centre. Smoked oak decking, Millboard.
A tricky aspect of the design was creating terraces at the right height to avoid overlooking the neighbour’s sloped garden. Red cedar fences were made bespoke to ensure they were also at the correct level for privacy.
Apple day bed, The Garden Furniture Centre. Smoked oak decking, Millboard.
Steps lead down from either side of the lawn and are laid in an overlapping design with a shadow gap beneath each one.
Simon installed LED lights into the gaps to create a subtle glow in the evening.
Blockwork retaining walls have been rendered in a soft white, forming a frame around the space.
Blockwork retaining walls have been rendered in a soft white, forming a frame around the space.
On the next level is the children’s play area, which features a sunken trampoline surrounded by artificial turf. The team excavated below, then fitted the turf and trampoline on top, ensuring there was a soak-away area underneath to drain water.
“Drainage was very important, so we installed perforated channels throughout the garden,” Simon says.
“Drainage was very important, so we installed perforated channels throughout the garden,” Simon says.
Up a low step from the trampoline zone is another decked area for lounging in the sun. The terrace sits directly above the studio, so Simon had to make sure it was load-bearing.
Freestanding Corten steel planters line the decked area. “The space was designed to fit these planters to the millimetre,” Simon says, “so the edges marry up to the edge of the retaining wall perfectly.”
Steel planters, The Pot Company.
Steel planters, The Pot Company.
Planting in the lower levels was chosen to create a woodland feel with dappled shade. There are Amelanchier alnifolia ‘Obelisk’ trees underplanted with shade-tolerant ferns, Helleborus and Pulmonaria.
In the steel planters are Prunus lusitanica, which will form a hedge.
In the steel planters are Prunus lusitanica, which will form a hedge.
Hard landscaping at the rear of the garden replicates that at the opposite end – reclaimed brick steps with limestone pavers lead down.
The final lower level is at the entrance to the studio. Simon had hoped to use horizontal slatted fences for the whole garden, but factors beyond his control meant there needed to be both vertical and horizontal versions. He worked with the differing designs to ensure it looked as harmonious as possible.
Tell us…
Do you have a sloped garden? Would you consider a terraced solution like this? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
Tell us…
Do you have a sloped garden? Would you consider a terraced solution like this? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
Who lives here? A couple with three children
Location South-east London
Property A Victorian terraced house
Garden dimensions 270 sq m
Designer Simon Orchard of Simon Orchard Garden Design
There was a lot to consider when it came to turning this neglected sloping garden into a usable space. “It hadn’t been landscaped for many years and an old, broken-down retaining wall made it quite rocky and dangerous,” Simon says.
“At the bottom of the plot was a crumbling garage. The owner had Planning Permission to replace this with a studio, so we also had to take that into account,” he says.
The main aim was to allow the owners to move from one end of the garden to the other by stepping up and down onto a series of terraces.
“Too many terraces would have created areas that were overly small, while too few would have meant the level changes were excessively steep,” Simon adds, “so it was important to find the right balance.”
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