Devon

In this mature woodland garden, the house and its sunny terrace sit on a platform carved into a steep hillside. There are lovely views and many fine trees, as well as terraced borders and spring bulbs. However, with outdoor seating areas at house level and the lawn dropping away below, the owners found they craved a place that would provide a sense of being in, rather than always above the garden.

By extending some granite steps that led from the terrace down into the lawn, we formed a route to a point where we could create another narrow, sunny terrace, edged by a low retaining wall and finished in a local self-bonding gravel. This has become a well-used spot that provides a view of the garden previously rarely enjoyed.