For the last 3 years, with the support of our clients, we have arranged a day of visits to recently completed gardens we have designed and planted. We invite past, current and prospective clients, as well as other professionals (architects, nursery people) and a few garden enthusiasts.

This year, after coffee and scones at our own garden studio, we began our tour of the nine gardens starting in Burley in Wharfedale. First, we revisited a productive garden which had been planted with various fruit trees since last year and the pond looked like it had always been there.

Planting around the pond has established well.

In complete contrast we visited a formal front garden to see the establishing borders planted in Wimbledon colours – purple, light blue, white and green. The combination of white lavender and the white rose Rosa Kent was particularly admired.

White rose and lavender (Rosa ‘Kent’ and Lavandula ‘Artic Snow’)

The next on the itinerary was a terraced garden in Burley Woodhead, completed earlier in the year and although only planted in April, the perennials had grown very well and looked quite established already – the Anthemis Sauce Hollandaise looked so cheerful.

Anthemis ‘Sauce Hollandaise’ to the left of the seating area

On to Ilkley, we revisited a contemporary town garden which the client had planted since last year and it was looking wonderful.

The planting in the next garden, a small paved courtyard, close to the centre of Ilkley had established well over the year. The climber Akebia quinata had grown through the grey trellis, softening the boundary.

The highlight of the day for many was the lunch spot at a large formal garden in Ilkley where we were able to relax in the sun on the large terrace, smelling the roses and listening to the gentle sound of the grotto water feature or retreat to the shade of the Tea House.

The shady tea house at the bottom of the garden

The afternoon visits were all in Addingham where we started with a pair of contrasting small terraced gardens, both designed and planted sequentially but in very different styles, which shows how personal garden design can be.

Small potager (decorative vegetable garden) with willow hurdle raised beds and a willow obelisk

A shady retreat at the bottom of the garden

We ended the day at what had originally been a farmhouse close to the main street, relaxing in the back garden which is enclosed by an old barn wall. The client told us all about the dragonflies in the wildlife pond. We admired the fruit and vegetable garden, while enjoying a cooling drink.

The wall of the old barn makes an attractive backdrop to the garden

We’re already starting to think about gardens to include for next year… there should be a tiny town garden with a lovely greenhouse; a modern garden with a Millboard decked seating area and perhaps some new garden design completed at RHS Harlow Carr in Harrogate!

Garden Visits July 2019