Dishforth, Yorkshire

Inspired by the local Yorkshire landscape, this garden pays tribute to the natural beauty of the Yorkshire Dales and the artistic interpretations it has inspired. The garden aims to distil and abstract the essence of these landscapes and the emotions they evoke.

Sources of inspiration

Local landscape:
Yorkshire Moors & Dales

Atmospheric inspiration:
David Hockney’s artwork of Yorkshire

Graphic inspiration:
Sam Smyth art: Circles, curves & stripes

Garden site inspiration:
Stepped buttress

A view through the wall

A garden of two halves, dissected by a large 4 meter tall wall. This characterful, listed wall naturally divided the garden into two spaces each with their own concept linked to the Yorkshire landscape…

Courtyard: Condensing the Yorkshire landscape

The courtyard garden distilled the defining qualities and sensory experiences of the Yorkshire landscape into a composed, geometric form. Drawing on the stepped buttress of the wall as a source of graphic inspiration, it acts as a microcosm—a metaphor for the wider landscape:

A water feature evoking the movement and sound of babbling streams
Sculpted yew domes suggesting the contours of rolling hills
Pathways that follow and intersect the stream in a dynamic way
A tree-lined tunnel formed by pleached trees, enclosing the driveway
The rill leads through to the next garden creating a link of continuity

A courtyard garden composed of geometric forms. Pleached trees obscure the drive and emulate Hockney’s tree tunnels. A rill cuts through the garden and the wall, inspired by the stepped buttresses supporting the wall.

South-East Garden: Exaggerating the Yorkshire landscape

Taking a more literal approach, the SE garden interprets and amplifies the surrounding landscape, echoing David Hockney’s expressive treatment of form and perspective:

Flowing curves that evoke the continuity and rhythm of rolling hills
Bold, rectilinear bands reflecting the geometry of intersecting fields
Meandering pathways edged with wildflowers and meadow planting
Bucolic trees set within rich, layered planting
A quiet, restful woodland area with a clearing for sitting and reflection
Water buttresses inspired by traditional cattle drinking features

Cross Section East to West
Cross Section North to South
Plan view
East Garden

Planting inspiration

Extending the overarching idea of abstraction and reinterpretation of the local landscape, this design draws strong influence from David Hockney’s vivid portrayal of Yorkshire’s flora.

Particular inspiration is taken from tree tunnels framed by overgrown verges, as well as the abundance of white blossom in shrubs and trees. Bold umbellifer forms, swathes of tall grasses, and striking bursts of colour combine to create a rich, dynamic planting palette.