A small garden on a slope

This client's sloping garden had over time become rather dominated by large shrubs, with no space for planting for colour. She hated the view from the kitchen sink. It was of the garden the shed.... He didn't see the problem!

THE BRIEF

To improve the view from the kitchen window
To improve the horrible local clay (the same as my own garden!).
To have a "G&T" patio for evening sun (Top LHS)
Water feature? Maybe.
Retain the mature shrub screen along the back fence but reduce the border size, currently full of Ivy
Remove the rotting timber retaining walls.
Patio not big enough (in my opinion)

THE SOLUTION

After some persuasion the gentleman agreed that the shed could be moved to less imposing area of the garden. It could even be reduced in size to 6x4'
In order to introduce new soil to the garden, a series of raised beds would give the clients the chance to have plants which enjoyed free draining soil, something they had previously never been able to do.
Using bricks, for the walling, would give the garden a new look, and allow a curve to be introduced in the central area.
The G&T spot would mean getting up several steps to the top of the garden

Before photos at the end.

The new view from the kitchen sink.
Plant pots on gravel will help with drainage after heavy rain
The water feature can be enjoyed from several angles. (low planting will cover the soil by next year)

With brick walling, I like to use several plants which will tumble over edges to soften the look. These include Gypsopholla, Osteospernum Jocundum, Stachys, Aubretia, Euphorbia Myrsinities, which will be fabulous by next spring.

The new patio now plenty of space to get around the table.

I wanted to introduce planting between the lawn and the brick wall. I would not normally design such narrow borders, but to make the borders wider on the design, would have got to the point, where it was not worth having lawn.. The plants I used for this solution, which can be kept clipped into shape are Teucrium Lucidrys (in sun), and Buxus (Box) in the shadier part to the right of the above step.

Another raised bed with new soil. The trellis screen has a climbing Rose and a pale yellow Evergreen Jasmine
These will provide a screen to hide the shed in it's new discreet location.

The brick bed above also has Achillea Terracotta, an Orange Shrub Rose, and dark Sedum which looks fabulous with the orange tones.

Verbena Lollipop with Stachys, Sedum Matrona and Echinacea to the left. 7 x Teucrium to form a small hedge in
the narrowest part of this border.
At the back, under the existing shrubs, the customer has chosen to plant this in time.

View looking down from the upper patio, passing Lavender on the steps. To the fence side
A climbing Rose and Phlox. In front of the water feature a group of Erigeron Profusion (tiny white daisy,
will flower for months), and low ground cover so as not to block the view from Geranium Rozanne.

the whole garden feels much lighter now

At patio level, Spirea Anthony Waterer will screen the electrical points, whilst not breaking if the cable catches it.
Hemerocallis almost finished flowering in August, but loads of colour next year,
and earlier colour from some Aquilegia in front.

BEFORE