Designed by Leeds City Council, Parks and Countryside. The garden draws attention to the importance of waterpower in the industrial evolution of Leeds. There are working examples of this process in two key public visitor attractions: Leeds Industrial Museum at Armley Mills and Thwaite Mills.
The garden style is reflective of a semi-natural setting incorporating cultivated ornamental trees, shrubs and perennials along with native species.The main feature takes its inspiration from a mill. A six-metre facade is set against a rockwork escarpment that feeds a working waterwheel. A large mill pool adds to the setting and planting is chosen to reflect how carefully selected cultivate plants can provide a sympathetic and attractive balance of colour.
Three specimens of Thuja plicata, which stand at almost nine metres in height, are positioned around the mill façade providing scale and drama, and a solid backdrop to help screen the floral marquee. Nothofagus and Acer campestre, soften this screen as is extends to the left front of the garden, and where cultivated plants merge into native or near native species.
Parthenocissus and Lonicera have been extensively used to soften the mill façade and provide a more natural fill for the boundaries. Clematis montana adds colour and character, formed into a mound of growth again linking the cultivated with the natural planting. Azaleas will provide accents of colour to punctuate the woodland planting, whilst native plants will extend around the pond and front of the garden, giving a somewhat natural feel.
Ferns will be used to compliment the planting and especially in shady woodland and in crevices on the rockwork. The colour pallet is complimentary to our somewhat natural planting style, and whilst incorporating a range of colours that are in some cases bright in their own right, when carefully positioned and softened by neutral colours and textured foliage they portray a natural relaxing feel with occasional accents of colour to stimulate our enquiring minds.
Pinks, blues, yellows, whites and pastel tones soften the character of strong dramatic specimen trees.
Ornamental Area
Ferns
Trees
Shrubs
Woodland and Ornamental Plants
Natural area
Trees
Shrubs
Damp and natural
Pond/Margin
Path edges