BEFORE: Excavation works starting on the garden path. Note the stately cedar tree in the mature wooded boundary planting.
A classical parterre garden to a Victorian villa, Ilkley.
The clients wanted to realise their dream of creating a formal parterre garden. Helen developed a design for a simple parterre of low box hedges and lawn bisected by narrow brick paths with features including:
- a tea house as the main focal point (with a pebble mosaic carpet)
- a grotto/ water feature (using an alcove in the boundary brick wall)
- a broad, informal gravel path along the edges of the parterre to enjoy the varied planting
- a mixed perennial border
- a rose border
- a shady ornamental woodland edge and a fernery in the grotto area
As a later phase, the front garden was redesigned to provide additional parking in the vicinity of protected cedar trees which required consultation and approval for the hard landscape detailing and the method of working with Bradford Council’s Tree Officer.
"John just loves spending time in the garden after a stressful week at work’. It’s such a peaceful and delightful place now". (Alex Samuel)
AFTER
Main parterre with a central circle of lavender Lavandula 'Hidcote' and standard variegated hollies. Antique figure supplied by client from Chris Holmes Antiques, Harrogate. Clay bricks supplied by York Handmade bricks.
Rose border (David Austin cream and peachy colours: Rosa Woolerton Old Hall, Rosa Lichfield Angel, Rosa Lady of Shallot and Rosa Lady Hamilton. Purple: Rosa Rhapsody in Blue).
Tea House painted Farrow and Ball Berrington Blue to match the conservatory.
Grotto. Queen scallop shell work by Olicana Mosaics. Plants for shade/ and foliage: Ferns in variety, Dicentra alba, Brunnera Jack Frost.
The brick and box parterre. Note the neat brick cutting by P.W.P Landscapes Ltd.
Pebble mosaic. Designed and constructed by David James, Olicana Mosaics, Ilkley.
The client hosting a visit to the garden by The Folly Society, June 2017.