Professional Landscaping by Steve and Rees
This award-winning Amersham garden demonstrates how carefully designed composite decking can become an integral part of a much larger landscape rather than simply an area placed outside the back door.
Built by Steve and Rees with the garden design by Karl Harrison the garden was developed from first principles around the proportions of the property, the scale of the existing space and the way the clients wanted to use it. At its heart sits a generous Millboard decking terrace, surrounded by abundant planting and enclosed by a dramatic, bespoke pergola structure.
The result is a distinctive outdoor living space with several different purposes: somewhere to relax in the summer sunshine, entertain friends and family, enjoy the planting and experience the garden from an entirely new perspective.
Karl explained:
“I love creating different zones within a garden. It adds to the dynamics of the space and gives each part of the garden a genuine purpose. A successful garden should encourage you to move through it, discover it and use it in different ways throughout the day.”
Designing a destination within the garden
Rather than positioning the main terrace immediately beside the house, Karl designed the composite decking as a destination within the garden.
This approach draws people through the landscape, allowing them to experience the sweeping planted borders before arriving at the seating area. It also makes better use of the sunlight and creates a much stronger relationship between the terrace, pergola and surrounding planting.
The deck provides sufficient space for several steamer chairs without feeling crowded, while an integrated wraparound bench offers additional informal seating when entertaining. Because the bench forms part of the composition, it increases the seating capacity without filling the terrace with unnecessary furniture.
Every element was considered as part of the wider garden design, from the direction of the decking boards to the alignment of the bench, the position of the pergola and the views back towards the house.
Raised Millboard decking and integrated seating
Millboard composite decking was selected for its rich appearance, durability and ability to complement the garden’s contemporary detailing.
The deep brown tone of the boards introduces warmth against the black pergola while sitting comfortably alongside the softer greens, textures and seasonal colours of the planting. Subtle changes in the direction and finishing pattern of the boards add interest without making the surface appear overly complicated.
The raised decking structure was carefully designed and constructed to produce an accurate, stable and refined finish. The edges, board layout and integrated bench were all resolved as part of the detailed design rather than treated as separate additions.
Steve and Rees built the decking and seating with the level of precision required for a focal feature of this scale. Consistent board spacing, clean junctions and carefully controlled lines allow the quality of the construction to support the overall design.
A garden pergola like no other
The decking terrace is framed by a dramatic black pergola that creates a powerful vertical statement within the garden.
Its generous spans and slender appearance could not have been achieved satisfactorily using conventional solid timber construction. A bespoke structural frame was therefore developed to provide the necessary strength while retaining the clean proportions required by the design.
Finished in jet black, the pergola is both an enclosure and a sculptural feature in its own right. It gives the terrace a sense of intimacy without closing it off from the wider garden, while its strong geometry creates a striking contrast with the loose, naturalistic planting surrounding it.
The pergola is almost the star of the project—but its success comes from the way it works with the Millboard decking, integrated seating and planting rather than competing with them.
Planting that softens the architecture
The substantial scale of the garden required equally confident planting.
Large sweeping borders were designed using repeated groups and generous blocks of plants, creating rhythm, movement and visual impact across the space. Softer foliage and flowering perennials balance the strong architectural lines of the decking and pergola, while the planted areas beside the doors help connect the house with the wider garden.
The planting changes the experience of the decking throughout the seasons. During the summer, the terrace feels enclosed by colour and foliage; at other times of the year, the framework of the pergola and the underlying structure of the landscape become more prominent.
This combination of strong construction and abundant planting gives the garden both immediate impact and the capacity to mature beautifully.
An award-winning Amersham garden
The project achieved exceptional recognition at the Association of Professional Landscapers Awards 2022:
- Best in Show
- Gold Award in the £80,000–£100,000 category
- Silver Merit for Soft Landscaping
The APL judges commented:
“The large sweeping bed is spectacular with planting, and the planting either side of the door with interesting and nice combinations. The decking is extremely well constructed. The other borders are well planted, with swathes and blocks of varieties to provide impact in this vacuous space. A great transformation.”
These awards recognised the project as a complete landscape—not simply for the quality of its decking, planting or individual features, but for the way every element was designed and built to work together.
Gardens landscaped by built by Steve and Rees
This garden represents the combination of creative design, technical understanding and accomplished landscape construction that lies behind Steve & Rees Landscapes.
Karl Harrison created the garden design and developed the decking, integrated seating, pergola and planting as a cohesive scheme. Steve and Rees then built the garden, translating the drawings and design intent into the accurately constructed, award-winning landscape seen today.
That close relationship between design and construction remains fundamental to the way we work. It allows practical matters to be considered from the outset, complex details to be properly resolved and the finished garden to remain faithful to the original vision.
If you are considering a professionally designed garden, Millboard decking terrace, bespoke pergola or complete garden transformation in Amersham and the surrounding area, contact Steve & Rees Landscapes to arrange an initial conversation.
We would be delighted to discuss your garden, explore its possibilities and help create an outdoor space that feels considered, individual and genuinely enjoyable to use.
Project details
Location: Amersham, Buckinghamshire
Client: Private residential client
Project: Large-scale garden design and landscape construction
Garden designer: Karl Harrison
Construction: Steve and Rees
Completed: 2020
Awards: APL Awards 2022—Best in Show; Gold Award, £80,000–£100,000 category; and Silver Merit for Soft Landscaping
