Our clients wanted a striking, modern garden to match their new extension. The garden needed to be low maintenance with year-round interest and plenty of informal seating areas. The clients also wanted the garden to feature the sound of running water.

The first step was building the basic shape. Three terraces made the steep top section of the garden attractive and useable. The basic structure was made of sturdy sleepers and posts, reinforced with steel rods, as the weight of the earth behind the terrace wall was immense.

Inspired by the coastal sea defences in Aberarth, we used oak planks to clad the sleeper terraces. These were treated with oil to protect the freshly sawn timber before allowing it to weather naturally to a silver-grey colour.

 

The design features two waterfalls and a curving rill across the three levels, ending in a wildlife pond. The feature required sand, underlay and then pond liner for the rill and wildlife pond. The liner was concealed with rounded river cobbles and pebbles, then finished with rounded shingle.

 

The pond needed a deep sump as the water level drops significantly when the pump is operating. Shelves allow spaces for planting.

 

Stormy autumnal weather doesn’t stop the team working on the garden

The heavy clay soil was compacted and poor-draining. We rotavated in organic matter and topsoil to remedy this, and laying the turf was the last job in the garden

The finished garden, first summer.

The mature garden, year 2 onwards.