Wherever you have a change of level in a garden you must provide some way of getting from area to another. Whilst in many situations this may be achieved by a simple slope, stairs are often the preferred choice. Steps can provide interesting changes of level and create very different effects, depending on whether they are straight or curved, wide or narrow, shallow or steep.

The choice of material also plays an important part of their design; whilst bricks may suit a modern setting, they could look out of place in a woodland garden, where shallow log risers and gravel treads might be more appropriate. Always select materials of regular thickness to avoid ending up with uneven risers which could cause you to stumble or fall.

This section will guide you through the process of building a set of steps in your garden, including advice on selecting on the right tread to riser ratio.