How to make a split level garden safe for toddler?

[MindatWork]

Hi all, would be grateful for ideas and advice please. We’re having ancient decking and a large, rotting shed ripped out - they were both built up on stilts at the end of our downward sloping garden by the previous owner (the garden effectively slopes down into a ditch that runs along the end of the garden and we look out over farmland). We currently have gravel up near the house and the idea is to turf the bottom section and fence it off with a low picket fence to retain our views.

The issue is how to make it safe for 18month DD. The landscape gardener has suggested levelling the gravel at the top and building a retaining wall with railway sleepers and steps down to the grass, creating a split level garden - however this is effectively introducing a new hazard in the form of a 2.5 foot drop!

Could we put a little trellis fence or planting along the top to deter DD from going near the edge? Or would we be better trying to keep the gradual slope and finding a better way to transition from grass to gravel?

Thanks in advance for your mumsnet wisdom (I should say this is all being done with respect to social distancing - the landscape gardener is our next door neighbour and in need of the work!).

Should also add that the previous owners put two big sections of rockery in to deal with the slope that also needs to come out

Level areas with steps between and fences/gates while you have a toddler, that can be removed once they're older. It may not look fabulous but it's worth it if it's practical and gives you peace of mind.

Make it a decent fence, you'll always be on edge otherwise.

We planted a dwarf box hedge against our open edge (same sort of drop). It worked very effectively at keeping children (and adults!) Away from the edge. Obviously it doesn't physically stop them falling over but just keeps them away.

I would add that my daughter aged about 3 fell over it once and was fine. So we had one incident between lots of kids and visitors over a period of 5 years. Not bad risk really.

WE built a fence with a rose race and gate then removed when they got bigger

The trouble with a sloping gravelled area is that all the gravel ends up at the bottom. So levelling the gravel area is good.

You won't need the fence for long, only about 2 years. The wall is an asset - two broomsticks and a sheet make an instant "lean-to" tent.

We made a gentle grass slope on the top layer which was great for sit and rides, sledges, little water slides etc. We should probably level it and put in steps now my kids have grown up! The photo shows the slope on the left hand side. Below this is a small lawn and then a picket fence sits above a stone retaining wall and steps curve down at the side to a stream (the steps have a picket gate at the top)