Introducing stylish steps into your garden landscape by David Domoney
1 October 2024
Stepping in Style
Adding steps to your garden can serve both functional and aesthetic purposes. Whether you're addressing uneven terrain or simply want to introduce a unique design element, it's essential to ensure that the style of the steps complements the overall theme of your garden. By aligning the materials, colours, and textures of the steps with the existing landscape design, you create a harmonious and cohesive outdoor space that feels both intentional and visually appealing. Thoughtful integration of steps not only enhances the flow of your garden but also elevates its overall aesthetic charm.
FOLLOW THE STEPS
When planning the design of your garden steps, there are several important technical guidelines to keep in mind to ensure both functionality and aesthetics. These considerations will not only influence the overall appearance but also contribute to the safety, comfort, and longevity of your steps.
Height & Depth
The actual height of your steps should stay within certain limits, and the same heights, for ease of use and limited trip hazards. Steps of a height over 170mm would be quite uncomfortable to walk on, whilst very shallow steps may also become quite difficult to use.
If you would prefer to have shallower steps, it would work quite well with larger treads, over a metre wide. This would give your steps a more sweeping and graceful look.
The depth of each riser is equally important and should be no less than 280mm.
Overhang
This shouldn’t impact your design, but if you choose to have an overhang, it should be at least 15mm, and no more than 25mm. This can help avoiding stubbing your toe as you walk up the risers.
Drainage
One final technicality to consider is drainage. Steps should have a very slight slope on them, to avoid water pooling, which could become a slip hazard. Particularly during winter. A 1% slope should be plenty, however 2% is the maximum to ensure safety.
eye-catching feature STEPS
Embrace the elegance of modern design. Contemporary garden aesthetics often feature clean, straight lines that are hallmarks of minimalist and sophisticated spaces. In this particular garden, the modern look has been masterfully executed, with staggered steps introducing a gentle sense of movement while maintaining the crisp, linear structure typical of modern design. The floating step effect further enhances the overall aesthetic, creating a sleek and innovative visual element.
Crafted with Pavestone’s Tegel Porcelain paving in the subtle Moon shade, the steps’ soft, mottled surface adds depth and character to the space. This staggered design not only allows for creative and textured planting but also transforms the steps into a striking focal point. The result is a harmonious blend of form and function, where each element contributes to the overall contemporary feel while offering a practical and visually engaging feature.
Curved and classic STEPS
For a timeless, classic garden aesthetic, curved steps paired with a gently curved raised bed can bring a sense of softness and charm to your outdoor space. This design evokes the welcoming feel of a traditional cottage-style garden, creating a serene and inviting atmosphere. In this particular garden, the steps are thoughtfully paved with hand crafted sandstone flags, in the warm, earthy shade of Raj Blend, offering an effortlessly cosy and organic ambiance that blends harmoniously with the natural surroundings.
The vertical face of the steps is constructed using dry stone walling, also in the Raj Blend shade, ensuring the entire design feels cohesive and unified. The seamless integration of materials and colour creates a beautifully harmonious effect, where every element contributes to a warm, inviting look that will stand the test of time. The curved lines not only soften the overall design but also enhance the flow of the garden, making it feel more connected and immersive. This approach brings a balance of structure and nature, perfect for anyone seeking to create a tranquil, classic garden retreat.
Perfect profiling
A crucial finishing touch in the design of your garden steps is selecting the right profile to enhance their overall appearance. The profile you choose can significantly impact the style and feel of your steps. Whether you prefer the smooth, rounded look of a Full Bullnose, the balanced and subtle contour of a Half Bullnose or Eased Profile, or the crisp, defined lines of a Chamfered edge, there are numerous options to suit your aesthetic vision.
With Pavestone’s Bespoke Finishing Service, you can ensure that your porcelain steps are tailored to your exact specifications, allowing you to achieve the perfect profile for your garden’s design. Whether you’re seeking a soft, inviting finish or a more angular, modern look, their expert craftsmanship will help bring your vision to life with precision and attention to detail.
STEP BY STEP planting
Raised beds are an excellent way to introduce vibrant planting areas that can enhance the beauty of your paved steps and create refreshing, natural breaks between different paved sections of your garden. In this example, the integration of carefully maintained topiary Buxus sempervirens (Box Hedge), expertly shaped into delicate ball forms, adds both structure and elegance. These neatly trimmed topiary balls provide a striking contrast to the light hue of Pavestone’s porcelain Tegel paving in the Moon shade, clearly defining the edges of the steps while softening the overall design.
The raised beds not only brighten up the space but also offer a practical solution for adding greenery in an otherwise paved environment. This thoughtful blend of hardscape and planting transforms the area into a harmonious and visually compelling feature, where the lush topiary beautifully complements the sleek, modern paving. The result is a refreshing garden design that feels both polished and inviting.
The spaces created by the staggered, floating steps have been thoughtfully filled with lush, foliage-heavy plants like Phormium (New Zealand Flax). The long, arching leaves gracefully drape over the edges of the steps, softening the clean, straight lines and introducing a natural, organic flow to the design. The varying shades of green in the foliage not only add texture and depth but also provide a beautiful contrast to the hardscape, creating a balanced and inviting aesthetic.
Raised beds positioned along the edges of elevated garden areas and flanking steps offer a fantastic way to define borders while adding aesthetic appeal. These raised beds not only enhance the visual structure of your garden but also provide the perfect opportunity to introduce beautiful, fragrant plants. Lavandula (Lavender) is a particularly popular choice for this purpose, known for its delicate, soothing fragrance that adds an extra sensory experience as you move between different levels of your garden.
In addition to its calming scent, lavender brings a charming burst of colour with its soft purple blooms, which complement a wide range of garden designs, from traditional to modern. The raised beds create a natural boundary, while the lavender softens the hardscape elements and contributes to a tranquil, inviting atmosphere. Whether you’re looking to frame your garden’s pathways or highlight the steps, raised beds with lavender offer both beauty and function, elevating the overall ambiance of your outdoor space.
Whether you opt for the 'true lavender' of Lavandula angustifolia, known for its dense, sweet scent, or the hybrid Lavandula x intermedia with its tighter, narrow buds and more intense classic fragrance, both varieties offer tremendous value to any garden. These delightful blooms not only enhance your outdoor space with their visual appeal but also provide a sensory experience that extends beyond aesthetics.
Traditionally, Lavandula angustifolia is grown for its calming properties, often used in aromatherapy and as a natural sleep aid due to its soothing aroma. On the other hand, Lavandula x intermedia is prized for its stronger fragrance, commonly used to help clear airways and refresh the senses. Regardless of their distinct uses, both varieties make a striking addition to any garden bed, contributing colour, texture, and scent while offering functional benefits for your well-being. With either choice, you’ll enjoy a beautiful, fragrant, and purposeful addition to your garden.
Containers
Scattering colourful, thriving containers near the base of your garden steps adds a welcoming and versatile touch to the space. This approach not only creates a warm threshold but also allows for flexibility, as containers can easily be moved or adapted to suit changing designs or seasonal preferences. In this example, the delicate, cheerful blooms of Violas in containers near the steps add a charming softness, as their petals drape gently over the edges.
The rich purple hues of the Violas provide a striking contrast to the neutral tones of the paving, helping to unite the cool grey shades with the warmer sandy tones. This thoughtful interplay of colour enhances the overall visual impact, allowing the paving to pop while creating a cohesive and inviting transition between the hardscape and the vibrant plant life. The containers also offer the perfect opportunity to refresh the garden’s appearance throughout the year, introducing new colours and textures as desired.
PERFECT PLANTING
Or consider adding vibrant bursts of colour, placed at the top edges of raised borders and the base of steps, creating an inviting and visually appealing pathway throughout the garden. The bright green hues of Buxus sempervirens (Box Hedge) at the base of the steps create a striking contrast with the warm tones of Tudor Antique Paving in Cloister. Meanwhile, terracotta containers positioned along the top border of the steps feature Geranium foliage with bold, towering red blooms that beautifully complement the paving while standing out against the lush green of the lawn behind them.
To complete the design, each container is accented with Lobelia, adding another delightful pop of colour and tying the entire arrangement together. This thoughtful combination of plant life, paving, and containers elevates the overall garden experience, creating a harmonious blend of texture, colour, and structure that draws the eye and welcomes visitors deeper into the space.
Utilising the varied heights of steps to enhance both your garden and container placement is a simple yet effective way to add depth and dimension to your outdoor space. By thoughtfully positioning containers at different levels, you can transform your steps from mere functional pathways into striking design features. This layered approach not only brings visual interest but also helps the steps blend seamlessly into the overall landscape, making them an integral and eye-catching part of your garden's aesthetic.
We have hundreds of stunning videos, depicting beautifully landscaped gardens, which have used Pavestone landscaping and building materials to realise homeowners 'dream gardens'. Set yourself some time to explore these videos and maybe make some plans for your garden makeover?
David Domoney, TV gardener, horticultural expert and Pavestone brand ambassador blogs monthly on the Pavestone website on all things landscaping related. We look forward to seeing you back again next month.
