The Ups And Downs Of Level Changes In A Garden by Nicki Jackson

If your garden slopes, dips or steps its way across the space, you’re certainly not alone. Many gardens aren’t perfectly level, and while that can feel like a complication at first, it often opens up many more interesting possibilities than a completely flat plot.

One of the first things we tend to look at with a levelled garden is how it naturally wants to be used. A change in height can be incredibly helpful in shaping the layout. You might find that a slightly raised area lends itself beautifully to seating, for instance, giving you a different view back across the garden. Equally, a lower section can feel more enclosed and sheltered, which can work wonderfully for planting or a quieter corner.

Level changes also give you the opportunity to create a sense of journey. Rather than everything being visible at once, the garden can unfold as you move through it. A few well-placed steps or a gentle change in level can subtly guide you from one area to another, making the space feel larger and more considered.

From a planting point of view, these changes in height can really come into their own. Raised areas can improve drainage and make borders easier to work with, while slopes allow for more layered planting. It can help to think about how planting will be viewed from different angles too – looking down onto a border often gives a completely different perspective than viewing it straight on.

That said, there are a few practical things that are always worth considering early on when it comes to level changes. Access and safety are usually at the top of the list. Steps and steeper gradients can make day-to-day use a little trickier, particularly if you’re carrying tools, moving pots around or thinking longer term about ease of movement. Where this is a concern, it can help to build in gentler routes through the garden or consider wider, more comfortable steps, with handrails where appropriate. And if you’re introducing terraces, it’s always worth thinking about the edges – these can be softened with planting or protected with a simple balustrade.

Cost is another factor that can sometimes come as a surprise. Working with level changes often involves some form of structural support – whether that’s retaining walls, terracing or built steps. These elements don’t need to feel heavy or overly engineered, but they do need to be properly designed and constructed, so it’s worth allowing for this in the budget from the outset.

It’s also worth being a little restrained. It can be tempting to introduce multiple levels to ‘solve’ a slope, but too many changes in a small space can start to feel busy or disjointed. Often, a simpler approach with fewer, more purposeful level changes creates a much calmer and more usable garden.

For many of us, a garden with level changes gives us much more to work with, not less. And with a bit of thought around how you want to use the space, and some careful planning around access and structure, those ups and downs can become one of the most enjoyable parts of the garden.

© Nicki Jackson, Blue Daisy Gardens 2026