Join garden designer Jeanette Suhr on a visit to the countryside, to a stunning garden filled with slate and a sunken fire pit!

The customer’s request was that they had a lot of old slate they needed to do something with—either remove it or relay it—plus the family was missing a good gathering spot in the garden.

When Jeanette first visited the site, there was a large rhododendron where the fire pit now sits. The slate path went behind the rhododendron, but it was completely overgrown. On the side, there was also a very small slate patio that they used quite often, but it was too small.

“This is a busy family with older children, and their needs have changed since the children were young. So, the idea came to me quite quickly: I wanted a large gathering space where the whole family could join in. The idea was to create a large, sunken seating area, built with Randøy stone, forming the structure.”

“Since there’s a lot of natural stone in this area, I also wanted to include a softer surface. But, we also had to meet fire safety requirements, so I incorporated a beautiful square of slate for safety.”

“We customized the seating bench because the client specifically wanted to use cushions from Sundays, known for their fantastic quality. They are weather-resistant and can be left outside in any weather. They dry quickly, so we built the bench to fit the cushions.”

There was already a lot of natural stone on the property, and the idea was to continue using Light Oppdal slate. All the flagstone on the pathway around the house was lifted, cleaned, and relaid like a puzzle. Some new slate was added, but you can’t tell the difference between the old and new.

The patio behind the house was something the client wanted. Their living room is just inside, so they felt this area needed something. The main idea was to create a cozy oasis that would look beautiful not only from outside but also from inside the living room when looking out. It’s become absolutely stunning, and it will look even better when the Dutchman’s pipe plant grows over the pergola. Additionally, there’s a sunny, private spot where they can relax, read a book, and sunbathe in peace.