Our intention was to create a secluded garden, a green ‘cocoon’ in which the owners could feel at one with nature and escape city life. We excavated a curved area at the centre of the space to highten the sense of privacy and specified blocks of cream limestone to create distinctive chunky steps. Bamboos have been used to partially screen the different areas of the garden as well as a limited planting palette of ferns, hellebores, foxgloves and peonies.