Key Features
- Three-tier terrace system on a 2m drop
- Reclaimed London stock brick retaining walls
- Flemish bond brickwork matching existing house
- Cascading planting over retaining walls
- Compact lawn created on previously unusable slope
Materials
Project Details
- Completed
- 2023
- Build Duration
- 4 weeks
- Location
- Brighton
Gallery
The Brief
This Brighton terrace house came with a steeply sloping rear garden that was essentially unusable — a near-vertical bank of grass and weeds that the owners had avoided for years. The challenge was to create level, usable space on a gradient that dropped nearly two metres from house to rear boundary, while keeping the budget realistic and the character of the neighbourhood intact.
Our Approach
The slope was engineered into three terraced platforms, each retained by walls built from reclaimed London stock brick — salvaged from a local demolition site to ensure an authentic match with the existing house and boundary walls. The brickwork was laid in a traditional Flemish bond for visual consistency.
The lowest terrace, nearest the house, provides a paved seating area in buff sandstone. The middle terrace accommodates a compact lawn — a surprisingly effective use of space on what was once an unusable bank. The upper terrace houses a utility area and compost bins, screened by a trellis with evergreen climbers.
Planting cascades down the retaining walls — aubrieta, campanula and trailing rosemary spill over the brickwork, softening the structural elements and adding colour from early spring. The borders are planted with a mix of shade-tolerant species at the base and sun-loving perennials on the exposed upper levels.
Ready to transform your space?
Every project starts with a conversation. Get in touch to discuss your garden.