There are no building regulations governing the construction of garden steps so you have a lot of flexibility in deciding how they will look. Sketch out possible routes – you can build them parallel to the side of the terrace so they don’t extend too far into the garden. This is particularly suitable where the [...]

Steps can be used to great effect in the garden. They not only enable you to get from one level of the garden to another with ease, but draw together otherwise separated features of the landscape.
The rough shape of the flight is dug into the bank and the steps are then bedded in mortar on [...]

A garden composed of different levels will look disjointed unless there is some visual link between parts. A flight of steps not only serves the practical purpose of providing access to the various levels, but also gives a co-ordinated look to a scheme.
The main purpose of steps is to provide access from one level to [...]

To work out the number of steps you need, start by measuring the height of the slope. Drive a cane into the ground at the base of the slope and a peg at the top, then put a string line between the two and use a spirit level to ensure it is horizontal. Measure the [...]

Steps can either be built into a bank or slope or they can be constructed as freestanding structures that project out from a rise. The latter is a particularly formal device associated with a regular design, and is usually used in conjunction with highly finished retaining walls and terraces.
Formal projecting steps should be built on [...]