Steep/tiered garden

[DragonMamma]

This will inevitably be how long is a piece of string question but I'd be interested to hear anybody's advice on this, especially cost

We viewed a house yesterday which we like, but the garden isn't flat. At all.

The rear kitchen and dining room patio doors open on to a raised decking area, then there's decked steps down around 6-8ft to a lower patio area. It's massively overgrown/jungle like so it's hard to judge accurately.

We do have two school aged children but we aren't massively in to gardening but would obviously like a useable space.

Is it even possible to build the level up so that it's less steep or even level? It's probably 35X30ft from the edge of the decked area.

If we could address the garden issue it could be a contender for us but I know they can be notoriously expensive so any anecdotal experiences would be great!

Big job, and if the decking is as neglected as the rest of it , it will be murderously slippery.

I'd think very hard.

I hate this arrangement: as specialsubject points out - decking can get very slippery when it's wet or even damp and dangerously so with such a big drop down, consider:

• pets not being able to get down to the garden,
• children excitidely running down the steps, slipping and breaking their xyz
• lugging strimmer / mower / garden bags up and down the stairs monthly
• underneath the decking would be a great place for potential burglars to hide

Also, it sounds like you wouldn't be able to see the garden from the patio doors, instead just the decking. Is that what you want?

Tiered levels are possible some of the things to think about are:
Retaining wall particularly to neighbouring properties.
Planning permission if raising g the level over 300 mm - likely to be granted if nor overlooking neighbourhood properties.
Access for aggregate - you will be looking good at more than you think, a jumbo bag is 850 kg and less than 1x1m, 40 of these may dissappear easily!
As for decking I quite like it and if it slops as you say you could make plenty of storage beneath the decking - with 6-8 feet to play with a good sized shed depending on how the site sits!
What have the neighbours done in their properties, any possibility of jointly landscaping as this would possibly simplify the retaining walls?
Just a few thoughts, costs are difficult to estimate without seeing the site.

my friends have a similar garden. They have used anti slip decking oil about £60 a tin but works. they have used fake turf to solve the mowing issues . but discovered this summer it gets very hot.
I would eventually replace decking with the plastic. another friend has that and it is very solid maintenance free and non slip.
I would put a slide in from the deck to the garden . have another deck put halfway down the steps so 3 levels with storage underneath and use pots for planting.

Thanks for your input.

I actually know the one neighbour and she has recently done her garden - it cost around £15k and she went with a step-arrangement so there's 4 different levels to the garden now. Although, admittedly only the highest one is really useable.

The decking is fairly neglected as is quite a bit of the house (contentious sale following separation) so despite seeing the potential, I think it will be more expensive to rectify, than the house is worth.

My DM also thinks we should hang out for the same style house, but with a better garden and I think she's probably right. DH just doesn't want to get lumbered with the work!

The slide down from the decking to the garden below sounds amazing! For both kids and adults!

We have a garden on a fairly steep sloping site, and it is hard work. It's a bit terraced, and we have a fab view but after 20 years, we have concluded that the only way is to manage the two levels closest to the house, and to treat the lower stretches as paddock. We mow this twice annually and look across it the rest of the time.