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Steps – garden design detail No 2

March 19, 2012 By Jill Anderson Leave a Comment

Flat gardens are nice and practical and often seem easier to deal with, but most gardens have some changes in height. The difference in the level from one part of the garden to another can vary from a gentle slope to a steep climb.

Either way you’ll probably need steps in some form or other and getting them right, so that they look good and are practical to use, will give your garden a bit of polish.  All you need to do is follow some basic principles.

 www.jillandersonblog.co.uk

 

SAFETY

First and formost, steps have to be safe to use.

Different sized steps can be disconcerting to walk up, the difference in rythmn can easily make you loose your footing. The simple solution is to plan and build them so that they have the same dimensions as each other.

LIGHTING

Consider installing lights in the walls at the side of the steps or close-by so that the the edge of the steps are clearly visible at  night.  Lights are especially useful if the steps lead to your front door where visitors, who may be unfamiliar with the lay-out, will be using the them.

 You may also need a handrail or barrier if the steps create a risky drop at the side.

 www.jillandersonblog.co.uk

 

STYLE

Match the type of steps to the style of the garden so that everything looks right together and creates a harmonious picture.

For example, choose classic materials like brick and paving for a formal garden or use chunky timber steps (like these below) for an informal, woodland area.

 www.jillandersonblog.co.uk

 

www.jillandersonblog.co.uk

 

Pale, crisp steps look great in a contemporary setting:

www.jillandersonblog.co.uk

This is how I used steps in two of the show gardens I designed.

 

THE PRACTICAL BIT

The part of the step that you stand on, unsurprisingly, is called the tread and the vertical bit leading to the next step is called the riser.

Steps outside should have a different scale to the ones in your house, they need generous sized treads and smaller risers than indoor stairs. This makes them comfortable to use and they’ll look smart too.

I like to include steps in my designs, it’s an opportunity to create a bit of dynamism and interest in the garden.

 Jill

All photos by Jill Anderson

 

Related posts:

Choosing a garden designer Garden design case study~ a large rural garden. Case study ~ a Japanese style garden All about using a coloured back-drop in your garden

Related posts:

Choosing a garden designer Garden design case study~ a large rural garden. Case study ~ a Japanese style garden All about using a coloured back-drop in your garden
Filed Under: Blog, Garden Design Tagged With: design details, steps, style

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Hello, I’m Jill Anderson.
This is where you’ll find good, solid information about gardening, growing fruit & vegetables and how to keep it all looking good.
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