Small family garden in Bristol

This small garden, about 15m square, sat at a lower level than the main living spaces of the house and below the garage. Access from the house was via a balcony and staircase, with another set of steps leading down from the garage. The existing steps and terrace were uneven and potentially dangerous for a young family so needed to be replaced. The garden also lacked privacy but there were restrictions as to the height of fences/walls. The rear wall of the garden was an unattractive high concrete wall behind which was a rear alley giving access to the whole terrace.

The brief was to design an adaptable garden that could grow with the family, providing space for the children to play and for adults to relax in. The uneven terrace and steps also needed to be re-designed and a screen of trees added to create a feeling of privacy from neighbouring gardens.