Place

A back garden in Penrith, on the edge of the Lake District, steeply sloping in several directions, dropping more than 2.5 metres.  The soil is a sandy loam that drains freely but is highly prone to erosion.

Before the rebuild, the garden was neglected and overgrown, with a small paved area at the top. 

The upper part of the garden, with its open aspect, gets plenty of sun while the lower section is in shade for much of the day, and is overlooked by surrounding properties.

View from bottom of back garden

Terraces and steps under construction

Bespoke greenhouse under construction

Brief

To create a garden that feels private, inviting and stylish. To provide a series of distinct zones supporting different activities, balancing active gardening with long-term ease of maintenance. Connection to the wider context was also important, visually linking the 1970s house to the red sandstone characteristic of the surrounding conservation area.

A planting approach that supports biodiversity and wildlife, including design features throughout the garden to support birds, pollinators and other fauna. 

To retain existing sandstone paving, boulders and shrubs wherever possible, ensuring continuity with the original garden.

Site analysis

Site survey

The steep gradient largely dictated the layout. The design embraces the slope through a series of terraces and paths based on a grid system of 900 mm squares, creating a series of separate spaces within a relatively small footprint. A meandering stepped path cuts into the terraces and reinforces the idea of a garden carved into the landscape.

Levels, materials and planting were carefully coordinated to manage surface water, slowing and absorbing run-off.

Limestone slabs form the paving and edging, and vertical surfaces are clad in slate, providing visual contrast. The terraces serve as informal seating and display surfaces for pots.

Concept plan

Construction work was commenced and completed in Spring 2025. The works were carried out by Wildroof Landscapes (wildroof.co.uk).

Terraces and steps under construction

Terraces, steps and pond under construction

Limestone paving on lower patio under construction

Newly completed terraces, steps and pond with slate cladding

Midway down the terraces, a bespoke greenhouse (built by Morton Garden Buildings, Cumbria) nestles into the slope. A corten steel–clad pond and planting trough provide material contrast, and timber elements are painted to echo details from the house, unifying the garden with its architectural context.

A couple of niches were constructed to place small pots of Auriculas.

The pond is fed by rainwater and has quickly established itself as a thriving ecological asset. After initial algal blooms due to the exposure to the sun, introduction of shade plants, Daphnia and snails has transformed the health of the pond. 

Excavated limestone boulders uncovered during terrace construction, were used on one edge of the pond, incorporating a trickling waterfall. Others used to create rockeries on the slopes and resin the very sandy soil. 

Newly completed terraces, steps and pond

First shrubs and perennials being planted

Newly planted shrubs and perennials in foreground, and green roof over bike shed at lower boundary.

Garden three months after completion

Steps winding through the terraces, provide a variety of experiences from top to bottom

Auricula theatre

The planting scheme is guided by a restrained palette of green and white, emphasizing texture, form and seasonal variation. 

The planting design responds directly to the steep topography with the concept of ‘hanging gardens’, which will develop over time. This layered approach softens the engineered terraces that were required for such a challenging site. The overall planting strategy supports biodiversity and responds to the site’s varied light conditions and pronounced microclimatic variation. 

White-flowered shrubs and perennials in foreground, with early stages of pleached hedge along boundary wall.

Plants starting to establish, first summer

Pond in summer with corten surround

Ammi majus spilling from steel planter

Libertia in front of corten steel pond

Androsace in front of pond

Philadelphus, bamboo and pyracantha were retained and renovated on the site boundary.  These supplement the borrowed landscape from neighbouring gardens. 

Along the rear boundary, hornbeams have been planted and trained against a bamboo framework to form a pleached hedge. Over time, this will provide privacy and shelter while maintaining permeability. 

Elsewhere, planting is used to define space, filter views and create enclosure where the garden is overlooked. A yew hedge, grown from seedlings collected from the front garden, will provide enclosure to the upper terrace seating area.

Tree selection was prioritised from the outset to establish long-term structure.  Structural evergreen planting provides year-round presence and a sense of permanence, while deciduous trees, shrubs and perennials provide seasonal variation.

The post Steep Back Garden in Penrith appeared first on Anna Dekker Garden Design.

Place

This client is a busy family with diverse and changing needs, including wheelchair access. They are committed to actively contributing to the garden’s development. The existing mature garden on a corner plot, sloping upwards from the house, has a tapestry of micro-climates. It enjoys a sunny aspect but also presents some challenges, being bordered by a busy road and overlooked from below. The site includes features worth preserving, such as certain retaining walls, two small ponds, and some outstanding mature plants.

Back and side of garden from pavement on main road

Yard adjacent to back door

View to top of garden showing condition of steps

Brief

Key considerations include screening from the busy road and optimizing the garden’s orientation to create productive spaces, including an orchard, while also encouraging wildlife. A thoughtful and strategic approach is needed to maximize accessible, usable areas for a variety of activities, incorporating some of the existing structures; this involves rebuilding some of the degraded steps and retaining walls and replacing them with ramps where appropriate.

Work in Progress

Structural work to the retaining walls and addition of ramps will commence once works on the house have been completed. Options are being considered for disabled access between the lowest level and one of the higher, sunnier spaces. Meanwhile, a meadow and an orchard have been planted up, and a hedge to screen the busy road has been established.

Sketch of garden and site analysis

Partially complete wheelchair ramp

Planting up the bed surrounded by the wheelchair ramp

Preparing to establish wildflower meadow

Orchard starting to take shape

Detail of wildflower meadow sown with yellow rattle

The post Sloping Garden in Bolton appeared first on Anna Dekker Garden Design.

Place

The front garden is gently sloping and sunny with an open aspect.

The back garden is also gently sloping, having several structures which break it up into a series of slightly disconnected spaces.

The owner requires minimal intervention, making the most of existing features, and is willing to invest time and effort into the garden’s development, and some garden maintenance.

Front garden from pavement

Front garden - existing beds

Damp area in front garden

Brief

To pull these diverse elements together so that the different parts of the garden can flow coherently, maximising the space for different activities, including a productive garden. The client would like to retain the Arts and Crafts aesthetic of the house and neighbourhood whilst updating the different parts of the garden to provide contemporary and private spaces to grow food, relax and entertain in.

She also would like a phased plan so that she can budget accordingly.

the design

A concept plan is being developed which will make better use of the site’s orientation to create a series of interconnected garden rooms, resulting in a more cohesive design. The different spaces used different colour themes, which helped provide a framework for the client when she moves existing plants around, and when choosing new plants.

I worked with the client to come up with some quick wins that she can carry out immediately, and in advance of the full masterplan and construction work. The first phase will concentrate on the front garden with a planting plan, as no construction work is required here.

Site analysis of front and back gardens

Mood board for planting ideas

Work begins on access from patio to gazebo

front garden

I designed the planting in the front garden to incorporate some existing planting, expanding the beds and adding further beds for a second phase. The placing of the beds took into account the existing short-cuts taken by visitors across the front lawn, and used a theme of jewel colours.

Planting plan Phase 1 for front garden

New planting beds in progress

Testimonial

Anna designed a plan for bed placement and a planting plan with my colour preferences in mind for the first phase. I can follow the designs at my own pace which works really well for me. Each stage of the design allows for the space to be completed and looks good before i move on to the next step. Anna has designed to maximize existing features while giving suggestions for small changes with big impact. I would never have been able to come up with these thoughtful ideas on my own! Very insightful and encouraging! I’m looking forward to the next phase!

Ruth, Washington

The post Garden in Washington appeared first on Anna Dekker Garden Design.

Listening tubes for students to experiment with sound

Detail of school garden design

The planting is starting to mature

An unloved corner adjacent to the special needs unit of a Northumberland school was transformed into an immersive sensory retreat. We had a limited budget and an imaginative approach was required for the design. We left some of the existing pavers in situ and this acted as a framework for a tapestry of carefully selected plant species to spread and spill out over the paving.

We used materials and plants that allowed the students to have a varied experience. The garden was zoned to highlight each of the senses, so one area had a pond with a bubbling fountain and a listening tube, and was planted with grasses that would rustle in the breeze. Another area had tactile plants for the students to feel, another had scented plants, both flowers and leaves.

These were all punctuated with features such as a willow arbour (we used a local willow artist to work with some of the students) for quiet contemplation, some balancing blocks which doubled as seats and a rubber safety area for informal sports in the school colours.

Gallery

We started by painting the fence and adding a Cornus hedge for winter colour

an imaginative approach was required for the design

Existing pavers left in situ to act as a framework

We used materials and plants that allowed the students to have a varied experience

We used materials and plants that allowed the students to have a varied experience

A pond with a bubbling fountain

Listening tubes for students to experiment with sound

A willow arbour for quiet contemplation

Balancing blocks

The planting in the garden begins

The planting is starting to mature

The garden in full summer bloom

The post School Grounds – Northumberland appeared first on Anna Dekker Garden Design.

This project in the northeast of England included the transformation of a derelict coal mine into a forest park, with a range of distinct habitats and spaces across 99 hectares. We created a series of zones of varied terrain, including a lake, a waterfall and forest, integrating the new landscape with the adjacent existing woodland. Focal points, created by local artists, are connected by a series of accessible footpaths.

The lake has been colonised naturally by vegetation and wildlife, and the forest park is now well established. The park is a public and educational resource, serving walkers, riders, cyclists and local schools.

Find out more about Watergate Forest Park.

Salix cuttings ready to plant around the site

Views of the lake naturally filled by 5 streams, with site works almost complete

View across the lake in winter

View of the lake, now filled

Settling ponds, prior to being planted

Salix detail

Salix becoming established on the lakeside

Salix in bud

Marginal planting

The lake in summer

Greenheart sculpture by William Pym

Swan

The lake in winter

Winter birdlife

Site Design

This scheme started as a decommissioned coal mine with an underground fire. The local authority carried out reclamation works, leaving the site safe and ready for the landscaping phase.

Over the following five years, I worked as part of a team to design and deliver landscape works across the site. The initial phases involved the development of sports pitches, enhancements to the nursery showground, and parking facilities. The final phase included extensive planting, a network of accessible footpaths and bridlepaths with interpretation signage and waymarkers throughout.

The site was planted predominantly with native species to create mixed woodland, hazel coppice, heathland and marginal planting. Additionally, we planted 160 varieties of Salix taken from cuttings from a national collection.

Aerial view of Watergate Forest Park as it is today. Image courtesy of Google Earth

Outline planting plan including Salix locations

Sketches of sections throughout the park

Detail of planting blocks around ponds

The post Forest Park – Watergate appeared first on Anna Dekker Garden Design.