MARPLE BRIDGE
The Brief
Over the years, we’ve tackled many challenging sloped sites, and this Marple Bridge property in Cheshire was no exception. Nestled in its own secluded private valley, the garden gently slopes down to meet the River Goyt.
The client wanted a landscape that would harmonise with the natural surroundings, while also delivering a striking wow factor. The home sat comfortably within the plot, but the garden needed a design that could truly complement the dramatic setting and maximise the unique vantage points offered by the slope.
The Design
To respond to the challenging topography, we designed a series of gabion steps that guide visitors through the garden, creating a journey beneath a lush canopy of tree ferns. The steps lead to a lower pathway, offering stunning views back up through layered planting, emphasising the depth and contours of the landscape.
To improve connectivity, new steps were installed to link the top balcony with the garden, ensuring a seamless transition between the house and the outdoors. The design combines practical circulation, sculptural features and immersive planting, allowing the garden to feel both structured and natural at the same time.
The Garden
The completed garden is a dramatic, multi-level garden that works in harmony with its valley setting. What was once a challenging slope is now a captivating garden, where structure, planting and movement come together to create a space that feels both extraordinary and intimately connected to the home.
Visitors are guided on a visual and sensory journey, from the elevated terraces to the lush lower pathways, all while enjoying panoramic views of the surrounding planting and the River Goyt beyond.
The Testimonial
"We bought our home over 12 years ago and knew it was a long-term project, as we have a lot of land on a challenging slope.
As passionate gardeners, my wife and I had always dreamed of the day when we could finally have a garden to enjoy and be proud of yet not a clue how to achieve it. Like most people we searched on-line and came across David, with so much emotional and financial investment at stake it was crucial to get someone who shared our vision and joined us on our journey.
We needn’t have worried as from the very first meeting David understood our passion and what we were trying to achieve. What started as only one part of the garden soon developed into a project to fully explore the full potential of the space, a vision David was keen to share. A vision that we fell in love with! David is not only part of our long term and ongoing project for the garden but a friend who shares with us the joy of the garden as it has developed.
We cannot thank David enough for turning a sad depressing and useless space into a garden we are so proud of and enjoy on a daily basis. We look forward to continuing our journey with David!" — Ruth and Graham
If you have a challenging landscape and want to turn it into an immersive garden, get in touch today.