The setting of this south-facing home could not be more stunning, but lacked a connection with the landscape beyond to which that garden was facing.
The garden that was once dominated by tall hedges sitting directly in the sightline from the living spaces. Although they provided enclosure, they also blocked the wider connection with the landscape. The new-build house originally featured a porcelain-paved terrace that created a clean inside–outside link—but the surface became dangerously slippery when wet, and the outlook to the side of the house was defined by a plain timber fence and undersized planters. Further the terrace was too small and there was a lack of connection with the garden. At the end of the garden the land was steeply sloping away and the client wished to make this space usable.
The completed redesign addressed these challenges through a series of carefully considered interventions. The terrace was re-paved with a slip-resistant travertine stone and its layout was reconfigured to better suit the flow of the garden. Wider, more inviting steps now lead down to the lawn, greatly improving access and views directed towards the landscape beyond. A new outdoor kitchen and BBQ area was introduced near the house, transforming the terrace into a practical and welcoming social space.
Further into the garden, a dedicated children’s play area was created, offering a safe and engaging space with a level lawn. Along the lawn a gravel path leads down towards the lower garden and reclaimed area with a stone seat around a fire-pit for relaxation and evening gatherings. Here the garden meets the open fields beyond.
New planting throughout the garden reintroduced harmony and softening between the different zones creating depth, softness, and year-round appeal.
The result is a family garden that feels both contemporary and connected to the surrounding landscape: safer, more functional, more visually cohesive, and designed to celebrate the expansive rural outlook that gives the property its unique character.
