A Garden Designed for Living | A Tranquil, Multi-Level Garden Design in St Albans
At Craig McGibbon Ltd – Gardens with Passion – we design gardens that evolve with life.
For this semi-retired couple, the brief was clear: create a calm, usable outdoor space that felt elegant, soft, and grounded in nature — while resolving a challenging slope. small patio and underused lawn.
The existing garden had become been neglected during their busy professional lives. A small patio and steep gradient meant the space wasn’t working with the flow of the home or the couple’s changing lifestyle, as they began retirement.
What they wanted instead was a place to relax, entertain, and enjoy quiet moments of beauty — with views from the kitchen, seamless access from the house, and planting that would change through the seasons.
The Vision
A spacious, level entertaining terrace for outdoor living
Smooth transitions between house and garden
Level lawn space for a sense of openness and calm
Low-maintenance planting that embraced both shade and sun
A wilder, prairie-style border to soften the side elevation and provide year-round interest
Garden views from the kitchen and gym
Timeless, elegant materials that complement the home
Our Approach: We honoured every need. The garden now feels like an immersive landscape you'll visually explore and revisit throughout the seasons.
Talking Through Concept Garden Design
Craig talking through the first concept design for this garden in St Albans— This concept design was modified to the final design that was built.
Video of the Final Garden
Sweeping video of the finished garden.
Our Design Approach
To address the slope and unlock the full potential of the space, we began by replacing the narrow patio and uneven lawn with a generous sawn dove grey sandstone terrace that sweeps gracefully around the house.
A set of curved steps, flanked by slate-clad retaining walls, lead up to a new level lawn, creating a strong visual axis and a natural sense of journey through the garden.
Around the lawn, we designed deep, curving borders filled with a tailored mix of shade-loving foliage, sun-loving perennials, and ornamental trees for structure and softness. The planting offers movement, colour and interest across all four seasons.
To the side of the house, where the terrace continues its sweep, we introduced a prairie-style border — a naturalistic, low-maintenance area with grasses, perennials and pollinator plants. It’s a “wild view” that brings life and softness to the outlook from the kitchen window.
A Garden for Health and Harmony
The design complements the couple’s lifestyle in every way — with seamless indoor-outdoor access, long views, and room to move freely. The garden gym now opens out onto the lawn, while the wild planting at the side of the house offers a calming backdrop for mindful mornings and slow afternoons.
From practical surfaces to thoughtful elevation work, the garden is now easier to care for — and far more beautiful to live in.
Materials and Features
Sawn Dove Grey Sandstone Terrace
Slate-Clad Retaining Walls
Wide Curving Steps with Soft Rise
Level Lawn with Tree Canopy Interest
Shade and Sun Borders
Prairie-Style Planting with Wild Character
Garden Gym Access and Long Views
Three Years On:
A Garden in Its Natural Rhythm
Anyone can show a freshly finished garden — but the real measure of great design is how it performs over time. That’s why we love to revisit our projects, to see how the planting has matured, the structures have settled, and the space is truly lived in.
Thinking About a Garden Designed Around You?
We design gardens for life’s transitions — whether you're retiring, downsizing, or simply ready for a space that supports calm, movement, and beauty.
Let’s talk about what’s possible.
