A crisp early winter morning on the western fringes of the New Forest. The air carries the scent of damp earth and pine, and the low sun casts long, dramatic shadows across a site that hums with purposeful activity. This building site not only involves extensive works to the property itself but the surrounding landscape too.
Here, just outside the historic market town of Ringwood, a landscape transformation is underway—one that speaks to the very essence of what we at Forest Stone believe in: that the right materials, married to inspired design and impeccable craft, don’t just create an outdoor space; they craft an environment that can truly enhance lives.
The Brief: From “Scatty” Terraces to a Cohesive Haven
The story of this garden begins, as many great projects do, with a problem. James from The Landscape Service, our guide for the morning, describes the ‘before’ with a tactful grimace. “It didn’t really work,” he says, gesturing to the sweeping vista now taking shape. “Little terraces, a narrow 900mm path hugging the house, different steps leading nowhere, and a wavy wall that served little purpose.”
For the homeowners, this disjointed layout meant their expansive plot felt curiously unusable. “You couldn’t really sit down with a group of friends,” James notes. “If you had people over, there wasn’t a designated space to dine or entertain.” The garden, despite its potential, was an understudy to the stunning, renovated house it surrounded—a house the owners had loved so much they decided to move back in themselves.
Their brief to James was clear but profound: rectify the chaotic levels, create fluid, usable spaces for living and entertaining, and deliver a quality of finish that echoed the care and investment poured into the home’s interior. They didn’t just want a new patio; they wanted a garden they could be proud of.
The Design Philosophy: Usability, Harmony, and Natural Elegance
Standing on the newly formed upper terrace, the ambition of The Landscape Service’s design becomes tangible. “Our aim,” James explains, “was to bring in new levels and new areas of interest to enhance the outdoor space.” This wasn’t about imposing a foreign geometry, but about sculpting the land into logical, inviting rooms.
The outdoor living areas revolve around the creation of two distinct yet connected terraces. The upper level, now paved with our Lymington Beige, offers a broad, gracious area for lounging and dining, directly accessible from the house. A sweeping run of steps—already a dramatic feature in themselves—leads down to a second, larger terrace. This lower space is designed to be the true heart of outdoor living, centrally focused around a stunning swimming pool.
To subtly demarcate these two “rooms” without building a wall, James introduced a stroke of design brilliance: a feature strip of herringbone-patterned limestone. “It’s the same material, but a different format,” he says. “It’s a nice way to break up the space, give it a unique feel, and automatically split the terraces.” This attention to textural detail is a hallmark of thoughtful design, creating interest underfoot and guiding the eye.
The Material Heart: Why Lymington Beige Limestone?
The conversation inevitably turns to the star material underfoot and all around us: the beautiful, pale cream Lymington Beige Limestone. In the world of premium paving, limestone is the gold standard, and for this project, its selection was a pivotal chapter.
“When it came to the paving specifications,” James recalls, “we had a real back-and-forth with the clients to get the best product possible.” This is where our role at Forest Stone transcends supply. We become collaborators in the project. Our extensive range of limestone and porcelain options was presented, samples were poured over, and the clients, guided by James’s eye, were drawn to the Lymington Beige.
Its appeal is multifaceted. The colour is wonderfully versatile—a warm, neutral beige that will reflect the soft New Forest light, complement the existing purbeck walling stone on site, and never clash with planting schemes. But beyond aesthetics, it’s a performance material. Dense, hard-wearing, honed smooth but not shiny, it’s built for applications like this and for generations of family life.
As we walk the site, the stone is being laid with precision by the team from Wycliffe Landscapes. Clark and Els are meticulously grouting the steps, their focus absolute. It’s a reminder that the finest materials are only as good as the hands that install them.
Masterful Detailing: Bespoke Masonry & The Art of the Step
It’s in the details that a premium project truly sings, and two elements here are particularly noteworthy: the bespoke limestone copings for the swimming pool and the monolith style step construction.
The existing pool, explains Craig, “has a few little L-shaped nooks to it.” Off-the-shelf, standard copings would have looked clumsy and ill-fitting here. The solution? Bespoke limestone copings. “The guys at Wycliffe Landscapes, and yourselves, wanted bespoke masonry pieces for that,” Craig says, pointing to the 40mm thick corner pieces that have been prepared. “It’s going to really give the pool a lovely finish.”
This is a crucial point for any homeowner investing in a luxury pool. Limestone swimming pool copings are about more than just a neat edge. They provide a safe, comfortable grip for entering and exiting the water, an elegant visual frame for the pool’s liquid blue, and a durable surface that withstands constant wet-dry cycles and pool chemicals. When crafted bespoke for a non-standard shape, they elevate the pool to a seamless architectural feature of the garden. The lovely tactile soft curves of the bullnosed edge add a lovely ergonomic feel when using the pool.
Then, there are the steps. They are not an afterthought but a central design statement. “I love looking at the steps from here,” Craig comments, and James nods enthusiastically. “The way you’ve made the risers using the same stone… it looks wicked.” By using cut slabs of limestone for the risers, the steps possess a bold, substantial, and timeless quality. They look as if they have been carved from the land itself, a permanent and solid anchor for the whole design.
Blending Old and New: The Wisdom of Reclamation
A key part of the design’s magic is its respect for the site’s history. The existing garden had curved retaining walls built from local Purbeck stone. Rather than completely discard them, James saw an opportunity. “Part of the idea was to reuse it as much as possible,” he explains. This reclaimed stone has been cleverly integrated into the new retaining walls flanking the grand staircase.
The effect is transformative. “It blends in with the existing sides,” James says, “to make it look like it hasn’t just been plonked there.” This philosophy creates a garden that feels settled and evolved, not newly minted. It forges a dialogue between the old, rugged character of the Purbeck stone and the sleek, refined planes of the new Lymington limestone. “You’ve got two limestones together,” James smiles, “which is just lovely.” It’s a masterclass in creating a natural, established feel from day one.
The Build: Confidence on Unstable Ground with Wycliffe Landscapes
A project of this scale, on a site with significant level changes, demands not just a landscaper, but a builder. James’s recommendation to the clients was Wycliffe Landscapes, a firm with whom he has a proven, collaborative relationship. “We get on with them really well,” he states. “The clients like them. It just made sense.”
This choice is vindicated when we discuss the ground conditions—a common challenge in the South of England. “The ground here is not great stability-wise,” Craig notes, having spoken to Clark on the construction team.“Unless you’re lucky enough to be on the chalk hills around Winchester, you will get ground movement on much of the substrate in our area.”
This is where construction integrity is non-negotiable. The terraces we’re walking on are built on a substantial, concrete base. It’s an unseen investment, but the most critical one. It’s what ensures the stunning limestone surface won’t shift, tilt, or crack with the seasons. Seeing Wycliffe’s work here inspires confidence; this is a garden built not just for Instagram, but for the next few decades.
The Grand Finale: Planting Columns & The Promise of Spring
As the tour continues, James paints the picture of the final act. In the raised beds flanking the lower terrace, something special is planned: carpinus betulus columns. “They’ll be about two meters in height,” he describes, “and they’ll be maintained as rectangular columns.” These living columns—of which there will be seven throughout the garden—are designed to be year-round focal points, adding vertical drama and a soft, organic contrast to the surrounding stone. On this terrace level, additional drama will be added by two water features at each end of the terrace.
They will frame the space, drawing the eye and adding a layer of botanical theatre. Adding to the sense of journey as you move through this garden. It’s these layers—the hardscape, the water, the soft planting—that create the depth and soul of a garden.
Our visit concludes with a firm plan. “We are definitely gonna come back in the springtime,” Craig says, “when it’s all planted up and the landscape is finished.” James agrees wholeheartedly. The foundation of stone is now in place—strong, beautiful, and full of potential. The next chapter will be one of colour, texture, scent, and the gentle sound of water.
A Note on Our Craft: The Forest Stone Promise
Watching this project come to life reinforces the values we hold at Forest Stone. Our role is to provide the palette from which designers like James and builders like Wycliffe Landscapes can create the ideas they have in their head. From our Lymington Beige to rarer finds, we source the finest natural stone from multiple continents.
And while this project features a beautiful Egyptian limestone, our expertise extends to globally renowned materials. For clients seeking something with a different character—perhaps the rustic charm of Indian limestone or the uniform elegance of a limestone inspired porcelain tile—we provide the same level of expert guidance. Whether it’s for a patio, bespoke pool copings, or a intricate herringbone detail, the principle remains: the right material, for the right project, installed to last a lifetime.
This Ringwood project is a testament to the power of collaboration. It’s a journey from a tired, unusable space to a legacy garden that will host family milestones, summer parties, and quiet mornings with coffee for decades to come. It’s not just a transformation of land, but of how a family lives.
We can’t wait to see it in bloom.
