modern coastal garden | photography - Rachel Warne - read case study

isle of wight

The site, with a vertiginous north facing slope, was a place for goats not people. Inaccessible and unusable the house sat at one end of the plot with a steep, isolated grass bank at the other.

I wanted to make a garden with atmosphere and character that embraces you and welcomes you back when you return home. Now winding paths lead down and across the slopes to a new entrance in the bottom corner. Gently curved retaining walls, like scattered petals, create level seating areas, opportunities for lighting, shelter and shade and provide a backdrop to the richly textured architectural planting. Steps were kept to a minimum by working with the slope and winding paths encourage movement and exploration. A series of water chutes and rocky pools flow down the slope and bring the garden to life.