Use terraces for sloping sites
Generally, terraces are the most costly of gardens to install and are challenging to design successfully. Here, the hard landscaping has been repeated from terrace to terrace, and the steps staggered to make the space feel larger and more dynamic. Shrub planting billows and softens the hard lines, and the multiple stopping-off points in the forms of seating makes the garden really usable. Multiple hardlandscaping materials have been used and would demand a skilled hand to install, but you could omit the decked surface and run a different paver or continue the paving without losing the effect.
Shrubs have had a bad time of it since prairie and perennial planting took centre stage. But small multistem trees (beloved of designers) and shrubs form the backbone of many gardens. In the scheme below, they not only add bulk and texture, reinforcing the rhythm of the terraces, they also add height and structure – vital, as the garden extends into the distance.
Try at home
1 Shrubs are fabulous plants and here the rhododendrons are at their best. Once they’ve bloomed, the planting scheme will need to go up a gear to counteract their dense, dark-green attire for the rest of the year.
2 Consider repeating your hard landscaping elements. Not only will this result in a strong visual gain, but your purchasing power will also be maximised.
3 Choose tonally complementary hard landscaping.
4 Consider how large a shrub or small tree will grow. It is tempting to plant them closely since they are slower to settle compared with perennials. Remember the first three years of a shrub’s life: ‘sleep, creep, leap’, so don’t expect a great deal until year three.