Three generations of one family live in a semi-detached house on an urban hillcrest that drops off sharply in their backyard. They wanted an enclosed, courtyard-like rear garden that would enable them to use as much of the slope as possible and provide some privacy on a tightly constrained site. Wood structures occupy significantly more area than the planting beds on this small, sloping lot. These structures perform multiple storage functions and create distinct areas – the dining area, the bridge to the shed, the stepped-down ‘secret garden’ at the rear with a Venus Dogwood tree and bench seating, and several planted areas. Vibrantly painted slats accent the natural-finish boards in the cedar fence, ensuring that there is colour in the garden year round. Between the side walkway and the rear entry a half-storey below, a balustrade with angled slats organizes the accent colours into a spectrum. From the interior of the house, the chromatic shift in the slats and the spaces between them create visual effects that change with the viewing point.