Tom Stuart-Smith’s design is inspired by its unusual setting between 19th century red brick mills and a 21st century art gallery, bordered by the River Calder. It echoes the bold, angular forms of the gallery, designed by David Chipperfield, while drawing on a naturalism that reflects Barbara Hepworth’s deep connection with the landscape.
Seating, open spaces and stepless paths within the garden allow the widest possible audience to use and move through the space. A Victorian gatehouse in the garden has been restored and brought back to life as a small café.
Over 14,000 herbaceous perennials, 120 metres of beech hedges and 52 trees and shrubs have been introduced to the site. A further 60,000 spring bulbs have been planted throughout the garden. Carefully selected for their colour and architectural form, the plants change with the seasons, creating evolving vistas and year-round interest.
The drought-tolerant planting of the complex meadow beds has evolved to cope with periods of drought, with many plants originating from the prairie habitats of North America, where summers are warm and winters cold, allowing the plants’ deep root systems to retain moisture and collect whatever falls. This greatly enhances the biodiversity of the site and much needed places for birds and insects, creating an oasis in the heart of the city.