Planting for a wellbeing outdoor retreat • Melissa Morton Garden Design

Our approach to planting design

Creating the planting design for our award winning garden was about far more than simply selecting beautiful plants that look good in Spring. Designed as a wellbeing garden and outdoor spa retreat, the planting palette was carefully composed to soften and immerse the garden’s outdoor sauna within the space, creating a calm, restorative atmosphere that encourages year-round use.

With a restrained mix of perennials, grasses, trees and shrubs, the garden was designed to feel natural, sensory and deeply connected to nature – demonstrating how even a small garden can function as an outdoor room for relaxation and wellbeing. Privacy in back gardens can be especially important, when we want to switch off from the outside world, and we demonstrate how different forms of trees can be used to achieve this.

The planting design also celebrates the beauty of a spring garden, with plants selected for texture, movement, seasonal interest and biodiversity.

The full plant palette is listed on a separate blog, grouped by structure and planting role within the garden. It can be found here.

"Perhaps it is unusual in show gardens not to pack in the plants for an abundant display of foliage and colour wherever possible. Some observers considered it brave of us to have spacious gaps between plants in the gravel borders. In design it is important to recognise void space as much as the mass of materials, and achieving a balance between the two. Particularly in this garden called 'The Breathing Space' we want to create a feeling of airiness and space so that this small garden doesn't feel too cluttered and overwhelming."

Garden Designer, Ilkley Skipton Otley Menston Bingley

Melissa Morton

Our wonderful sponsors

We are incredibly grateful to Moss & Moor, Ilkley for supplying almost all of the perennials. And to J A Jones & Sons, Southport for sponsoring the trees and shrubs that helped bring the garden to life.