CAROLINE  DE LANE LEA  

On the edge of the Atlantic, this garden was created for one of the traditional slate workers cottages on the tiny inner Hebridean Island of Easdale. Refurbishing the property, the client replaced the gable end with an oak and glass window providing a fantastic 24/7 365-day view across the old slate quarry to the seascape beyond. The design challenge was to create a garden at one with this very special environment, using limited materials mostly recycled from the building works, able to cope with the extremes of weather, and with little soil for planting. 

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The garden surrounds the property on 3 sides and needed to link them together. Key to the design was the informal circular slate terrace built using recycled slate slabs and the curved slate walls built at different heights provide shelter, additional seating and support a bespoke curved oak bench. Built to ensure they don't interrupt the view from within, the walls echo the wall of the flooded slate quarry beyond as well as the shape of the distant hills.  

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At the front, additional low slate walls provide protection for plants. A bespoke oak gate and composite 'timber' boardwalk path marks the entrance and route to the front door. Robust plants able to cope with the conditions such as sea holly, sea kale, thrift and agapanthus thrive happily in the limited soil. Escallonia and fuschia hedging provide shelter.