The Smith cottage.
The old path went straight down the 30ft hill, a
dangerous drop to a tight space and small dock. We
discussed lots of ways to get up and down the hill
safely, such as wooden steps and suspended pathways. In
the end, we opted for a narrow stone stepway flanked by
shade plantings of Pulmonaria, Creeping Jenny, Hostas
and Solomons Seal with a cascade of Bleeding Hearts to
catch the sun edge. The split halfway up linked to an
existing step to the upper decks. We were pretty nervous
when we checked it out the following spring. It held! |