Designs for a woodland garden on the hillside of Ilkley Moor

Designs for a woodland garden on the hillside of Ilkley Moor

My clients have been in their home about a year and are ready to improve the garden. They have waited a year before deciding what to do, and happy to wait for the design plans to ensure they get it right.

Priorities for design:

• To have different places to sit, to appreciate the location of the garden. Calm places to sit with a drink and enjoy the views and the sun and shade.
• Main patio for hanging out, as a socialising space – as this area is in a sunny location. Entertaining friends and family for 6-8 people – bbq, outdoor dining, social space, day and evening
• Encourage birds and insects, want flowers – there are none at the moment
• Winter appearance is just as important as can be seen throughout the year. Enhance the view from inside the kitchen extension, side garden needs attention
• A new summerhouse at the top of the garden

The garden is on a steep slope, and the Cow and Calf rocks and Ilkley Moor can be seen from the back of the house. The area has been landscaped in various stages over the last 20-30 years. A lot of conifers have been planted which are now too large and dominate, as there isn’t much else. There is a generous sized deck area but the clients would like to turn this area to a patio.

DESIGN IN PROGRESS

The design includes:

• A new patio area accessed from the patio doors, a step introduced
• A more welcoming entrance into the back garden
• Introduce curved steps of elegant proportions to access an extended mid terrace for upto 4 people
• Reconfigure steps to top terrace, safer and more comfortable to use, to access an extended decked area at the top of the garden with a new summerhouse
• The redundant side garden has been given a sense of purpose with a new enclosed seating area for two people, to enjoy a snack in the sun at coffee / lunch time.  A waterfeature included which can be viewed from inside the house all year round
• Planting introduced at the house terrace to soften the outlook from the house all year round