Lake Livingston

Waterfront ground is the worst case for a natural lawn: it slopes, it takes wind off the water, and every rain event moves soil down the bank. This terrace is built as a level platform inside a stone border, with turf laid across the top so the usable outdoor space stays flat and green regardless of what the bank is doing.

The base is what makes it work. Aggregate is brought up to a compacted, free-draining platform behind the stone edge, so water passes straight through the turf and out rather than sheeting across it. The turf is anchored into that border on every side, which is what stops wind off the lake from lifting a corner.