A large coastal family home with good size gardens. The garden to the rear was overgrown and unkempt when the owner got the keys. With five children and two dogs they were keen to make the garden a practical place to enjoy.
Like many gardens in and around St Ives, the area was on a hill making for difficult gardening and lacking level areas to use.
Using a combination of sloped path and 3 level tiers allowed the garden to be accessible and gave the usable spaces required.
On such a long, rectangular, steep garden it is essential to get the layout, proportions and materials right. The detailed site surveying and design process paid off during construction work.
Using curved granite walls and a snaking path leading to the main patio softens the slope and entices you up to the family patio area.
The lowest tier is a smaller patio area, the middle tier a well kept lawn that contrasts with the wild flower meadow that follows the sloping, snaking path up the garden.
At night the 3 apple trees are lit up and low wattage lights in the sleeper patio beds allow the garden to be enjoyed into the evenings.
It’s all about the flow and materials in this garden; granite walls, sandstone paving, chestnut fencing and wild flowers give the garden an organic feel.


