Major Steps: major steps can be built of a variety of materials including paving, bricks, wood and sections of tree trunk. If you have a collection of pieces of stone, all different sizes, you can use them to make crazy-paving major steps (top left). If using logs, you can either cut them into disks (bottom left) or use them whole with stakes in front to keep them firm (bottom right). You can also use planks and lengths of square wood (top right); if you can find them, railroad ties make attractive major steps.
Steep flights should include a handrail—at about hand height, 2%ft—on each side, which extends about 12in beyond the flight, where it might possibly be linked with existing fencing or railings for a more unified scheme. Alternatively you might prefer to build a Wall (at handrail height) at each side of the flight.
Flights comprising more than 10 major steps should be broken halfway with a landing which provides a good resting place and can also break a fall. Take this into account when calculating the number of treads that you require.
The treads should slope slightly toward the front—a pitch of about lAin is adequate —so that rainwater will drain off rapidly. This is particularly important in winter, when ice could make the major steps slippery and dangerous. For the same reason, choose only block treads with non-slip textured faces.
Masonry major steps can appear incongruous in an informal garden and wooden major steps are often more appropriate. Cut-in major steps are more suitable for this type of garden, and using sawn logs as the risers is a quick and easy way to form an attractive flight.See Also Small Steps:WORK OUT how many small steps you will need to make by measuring the vertical height of the slope. To do this, drive a peg into the top of the slope and a pole as tall as the slope height at the bottom. Connect the two with string. Set the string horizontal using a level, then measure the pole from ground level to the string. This is the slope height.
Divide the figure by the depth of a riser plus tread of the small steps you plan to use. This gives the number of small steps you can fit into the slope.
Garden small steps need not always conform to a straight format. Where you have enough space, consider creating a flight composed of circular or segmental treads to scale a graceful shallow rise in the ground, perhaps leading to a formal terrace beyond.
Mark out the shape of the small steps with an improvised pair of compasses made from a length of wood attached to a stake with string. Cut out the rough shape of the circular treads and cast cement block foundations beneath. There is no need to make the foundation block round; just cover the corners with soil after you have built the small steps.
Use bricks or blocks laid on mortar to form the curving front edges of the treads, and fill the circles with gravel or cobblestones. You could even lay turf for a grassy flight of small steps, but it is important to bear in mind that these would be very difficult both to maintain and to mow satisfactorily.
On The Other Hand See High Walls:When choosing climbers for planting against houses or high walls, the direction that they will face must be considered since climbers on shaded walls will get little direct sunshine; those on some sunny walls may get too much; and those on walls with sun for part of the day may be exposed to cold winds. The problem hardly arises with fences, since plants quickly rise above them. The soil close to house walls can be dry, and until climbers become established they may need regular watering.
They are expensive to build but need essentially no upkeep. Walls are of especial value for supporting terraces and other places where soil must be retained. Such supporting walls may be built with cement or be dry walls made without cement.
Informal groups of trees and shrubs are good as "walls" where space permits. •
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