Restoration of Terraces in a Villa in Durango

This project took place at a private residence in Durango after my second year of studies and presented several challenges. Firstly, the terrace slope was very steep: we removed most of the metal edges, which were ineffective and unattractive, and opted to reuse naturally-looking stones found on the property, creating a more level planting area. Secondly, the ivy that had grown for decades created a thick root mat, choking subsequent plants. Removing it was essential to make room for new planting, although additional soil was needed to compensate for soil loss, knowing that the ivy would likely regrow and ongoing maintenance would be required. The flower bed was in a shady area, where in some parts no light entered practically all day, so we used adapted plants such as cyrtomium falcatum, ophiopogon and carex morrowii, while in the sunnier areas we incorporated santolinas, salvias, diomas, nanadinas, pittosporum, andromeda polifolia and astilbe. Finally, a generous layer of mulch was added to protect the soil and facilitate weeding.