Wicklow Hillside Garden

A proposal for terraced native planting cascading down a steep south-facing granite hillside in the Wicklow foothills. The garden would work with the dramatic topography rather than fighting it — a series of dry-stone terraces would retain the slope and create a series of distinct planting zones, each tuned to a different microclimate and soil depth. From the upper heather moorland to the lower wildflower meadow, the garden would read as an extension of the surrounding Wicklow uplands.

Our Approach

The gradient would present significant engineering challenges. We would design interlocking dry-stone retaining walls using granite quarried from the site itself, minimising material import and giving the terraces an authentically local character. Drainage would be a critical concern: a network of French drains and swales would channel water safely downslope while recharging a garden pond at the base of the site.