A larch clad garden studio was being installed on this Edinburgh garden on the north facing hillside of Arthurs Seat. It enjoys truly panoramic views out over the firth of Forth. A mature natural garden already existed and a terrace and more practical steps connecting to the garage and road above the garden was required. The existing steps were haphazard and steep and made access up and down the garden with items difficult. When working in the studio, being able to pop out onto a sunny terrace on the good days was very much a desire. The existing garden was steeply sloped from the front garden all the way up to the back gate and was tackled in terraces. These terraces served different puposes from a rock garden at the fron to a deck area around the house to a lawn and small patio, to what what will become a garden studio and terrace with naturalised planting.
Garden’s first summer.
A view of the stone terrace surrounded by naturalised planting scheme in full flower.
Blending work and outdoor living.
The stone terrace acts as the central transition point between garden and clients house lower down the hillside. It gives greater space for usng the studio as well as recreational space on the good days. From the terrace numerous rotes are available either up/down or around the garden, either by the main steps or the numerous little shortcuts and mini steps that have been introduced.
Access from above.
Easier access through the garden was an important brief and in particular easier access from above, as it’s always easier going downhill. The view here from the top gate shows the broad and wide stone steps that transition down through what is a very steep section of the garden. A n option exists to take a moment and wander left towards a small viewing deck with tucked away views out across the Firth of Forth. the planting has elements of a green roof structure and planting, giving the steep and exposed aspects of the location
An immediate sense of established.
Part of the client brief was to continue the naturalised feel of the existing garden and settle the garden studio into it’s surroundings. Our ethos of re-using all existing materials and rebuilding the new garden space out of the old garden, goes a long way towards helping a garden establish quickly. Here the new naturalised garden on the northern slopes of Arthurs Seat in Edinburgh, has a very settled and established look as it it enters it enters Autumn in it’s first year.
A place to take a break.
With the garden studio up and running and access to and from all taken care off. It is still important to be able to take a well deserved break and relax in beautiful surroundings.