Changing the level in a garden immediately adds an extra dimension. Even a single step gives the feeling of moving from one area to another, while lending visual depth to the whole garden. Flights of more than two steps need plenty of space and can quickly eat into a small garden, as each one needs to be at least 30cm/12in deep, and shallow enough to make them easy and safe to negotiate, especially in wet or frosty weather.
Steps leading from the courtyard are framed with a mass of exuberantly flowering plants, which soften the harsh line of the stair rail.
