THE ONLY WAY IS UP

By working closely with the architects, designer Catherine MacDonald has created a beautifully constructed space on a steeply sloping garden

- VERONICA PEERLESS

Landscape and garden designers prefer to be called in before a new house is built. That was the case with this project on a rural site in Surrey, where the clients had appointed architects McLean Quinlan to work on the timber-framed Baufritz house, and planning consultant Karen Clark. Designer Catherine MacDonald, at the time of Landform Consultants, came on board before the old house was knocked down, to deal with any planning conditions regarding the landscaping and materials.

Fast forward a couple of years, and works on the garden began. "It was a large site, but the formal design around the house had to fit within a certain curtilage as part of the planning conditions," explains Catherine.

This curtilage had an 11m drop from the top corner to the bottom, with the house part of the way down. "I know this sounds boring and practical, but the design ideas were driven by this extreme level change." Catherine also needed to work with the architects to ensure that the hardscaping around the house would protect the timber-frame construction, and factor in an old barn that was to be relocated within the site to become a pottery studio.

Bearing all of that in mind, Catherine could then proceed with fulfilling the brief for a family garden that included a formal lawn, swimming pool and tennis court, with terraced planting beds to make the space practical and functional, plus planting with biodiversity in mind. And one late request - a discreet home for a new robot mower.

"The clients were very good at telling me what their requirements were, and as a result the garden is now working for them as a family," says Catherine.

"It was a wonderful project to work on, because I got to use materials that I love."

Managing slopes and level changes