A terraced garden beside the Atlantic

Landscaping and landscape integration for a private residence in Mide, Vigo, Pontevedra.
Landscape design by Verde Leria, ESPJ.

This landscape project is located on the southern Galician coast, set close to the sea and shaped by challenging topographical conditions. In its original state, the site was characterised by steep slopes and significant changes in ground level, creating a landscape with limited opportunities for functional use.

Beyond responding to the existing topography, the project also needed to resolve movement through several access points located at different heights and to establish a planting strategy capable of thriving in exposed coastal conditions.

To overcome the steep gradients, the terrain was terraced to create a sequence of level platforms across the site. This highly individual and technical design transformed previously unusable slopes into functional outdoor spaces.
The terraces were created using two complementary retaining systems: walls built from reclaimed stone, and rockeries laid with natural rock. Together, these elements provide the structural support required to shape the land while creating a landscape that feels rooted in the character of the site, rather than something that looked unnatural and constructed.

Large, irregular granite slabs were used for the paved areas and combined with gravel surfaces to reinforce the natural character of the garden.

The project also included the design of the garden steps, developed in two distinct ways. Steps incorporated into the retaining walls were constructed in reclaimed stone to create continuity with the terraced structure, whilst paths that wind through the rockery were formed using Corten steel risers with gravel treads, retaining a more natural appearance with the landscape.

Planting played an important role not only in responding to the coastal conditions of the site, but also in balancing the scale of the house within the landscape. Given the substantial mass of the building, the planting strategy sought to soften its presence and help embed it more naturally into its surroundings.

To achieve this, a significant number of trees were introduced, including poplars, oaks, hawthorns, metrosideros and melaleuca. These species are well suited to coastal conditions and, in many cases, already appear within the surrounding landscape, helping the garden feel rooted in its immediate setting.

The same principle guided the selection of the shrub layer. Silvery and muted green tones predominate, reflecting the foliage of many of the trees and of species such as Westringia fruticosa and Metrosidero excelsa used as hedging.

Herbaceous planting was arranged in drifts of contrasting textures, with an emphasis on light and airy species that respond visibly to the coastal winds, allowing movement to become an active element of the garden experience.