Design commissions – typically a 3 month waiting list. Consultations allow 4 weeks. Please get in touch if you would like to plan ahead.
Design commissions – typically a 3 month waiting list. Consultations allow 4 weeks. Please get in touch if you would like to plan ahead.
Complete garden design & implementation | Ilkley Moor, West Yorkshire
Initially considering a garden room or house extension, the clients ultimately decided to focus on transforming the garden as a way to better enjoy their outdoor space year-round and take advantage of the breathtaking views.
They wanted a multifunctional garden for hosting parties and barbecues, relaxing in the sun, dining outside, and providing informal play areas for their daughter.
A key goal was to make the garden feel like a natural extension of the home, with spaces that flowed easily from the interior and made the most of natural light and views. Flexibility, spaces to socialise and enterrin, and a sense of retreat were all important themes throughout the design development.
The property sits in a beautifully open, rural setting with long views across the surrounding countryside. Located near Ilkley Moor, the site is exposed to the elements and dominated by an outlook toward mature woodland. While the broader garden is extensive, the focus of the redesign was on the zones immediately surrounding the house. This area was underused and lacked structure, with few features to provide shelter or define outdoor ‘rooms’.
The challenge was to create a more usable, comfortable layout that could support different uses while responding sensitively to the surrounding landscape.
A huge thank you to everyone involved in turning the design into a garden that can be enjoyed, shared and celebrated.
Oak pergola (at the time of writing, this was Simon’s largest pergola ever built!): Simon Bowler.
Construction by: First Light Landscaping
Planting design & planting collaboration: Melissa Morton & Rachel Forbes
Plant supply: Melissa Morton Garden Design.
Photography: Ian Lamond Photography
We are delighted to be featured on Decking Network, highlighting the thought and consideration for the Millboard decking and its place within both the garden design and the setting of the wider landscape. You can read the article here.
A large bespoke oak pergola to provide a spacious place to relax, with gabion walling and planting for shelter. This space can be easily converted to entertain larger groups of family and friends.
Inviting different spaces to be in, with interconnecting routes and aligned with the house architecture. A waterfeature at the centre of a courtyard is centred on a double axis between various sight lines.
Extended dining seating area to replace existing decking. This will have an electric awning above providing shelter from sun and showers.
Outdoor kitchen as part of a second phase. A curved stone fire-pit area catching the evening sun and providing a closer connection to the moors.
