A garden that slopes away from a house can often become forgotten wasteland where it dips out of sight.

The challenge for this newly renovated New England style villa – sitting on a slippery, muddy site – was to create a functional, safe and enticing garden that would extend the welcoming air of the house to embrace all of its steep plot.

The landscape design conceives a seamless transition from inside to out, with a ‘beach approach’ feel to invite this sea-loving family to use the lower levels. Bi-fold doors introduce a social terrace area to the rear of the property, with fireplace, BBQ and outside kitchen.

Gentle transitions down the slope are achieved through generous steps fringed with brim-full, raised beds. Their dune-inspired planting^* softens level changes to arrive at a sea of green – the levelled-out lawn space for children’s games.