This private residence is set on the slopes of a mountain, with the property directly interfacing with a protected nature reserve. The setting provides both remarkable opportunities and unique challenges. On the one hand, the estate benefits from panoramic views, immediate access to walking trails, and abundant native vegetation, creating an enviable quality of life. On the other, the landscape presents risks such as fire, erosion, flooding, and the presence of immovable boulders and dense tree cover.

From the outset, we worked with the client over many years to develop a responsive and resilient garden that would evolve alongside the family’s needs. The site was carefully profiled into three terraces, creating a clear hierarchy of spaces:

Lower terrace – accommodating the residence and sheltered courtyard spaces.

Middle terrace – designed for informal play and recreation within easy view of the home.

Upper terrace – dedicated to structured sport and leisure, including football and formal cricket nets.

Sustainability and respect for the site’s ecology were central to the design process. A vegetation search-and-rescue programme, carried out under my direction, enabled native bulbs and shrubs to be preserved and reintegrated into the new garden. One species, found in abundance, was repurposed to form a natural hedge, creating continuity and sense of place.

The estate’s mature trees were initially retained to form the framework of a central forest garden, underplanted with ferns and shade-loving bulbs. This space was designed to be both playful and safe for children, with equipment positioned for ease of supervision, while remaining ecologically sensitive. Over time, natural succession occurred: as older trees reached senescence and were carefully removed, interplanted native specimens matured to take their place, ensuring long-term continuity of canopy and habitat.

This project demonstrates how a challenging mountainside site can be transformed into a layered and multifunctional garden, balancing ecological sensitivity with family living. It remains a dynamic landscape, continuing to adapt as the family’s requirements evolve, while retaining its relationship with the mountain and surrounding reserve.

Services provided: Concept design, site profiling and terracing strategy, planting design, ecological integration, long-term garden development planning.