There’s no better way to boost your mood than to step among a dazzling display of scented flowers during a springtime walk, a garden tour or plant fair. We pick some fabulous floral days out for spring and summer.
COLOUR FOR LIFE
Harewood’s gardens and their bold colours are among the inspirations in Colours Uncovered.
The exhibition explores artists using colour theory, the science of extraction of pigments from nature, how colour affects wellbeing and colour trends through history.
Garden connections include pieces of Sèvres porcelain collection from the 1700s planted with bulbs from the gardens.
Muted colours from the ivy berries, eucalyptus and alder harvested from the estate’s grounds appear in a hand-dyed 24m square rug by Max Lamb, a contemporary work in the Harewood House collection. And ‘Memory Garden’ 2023, is a large-scale textile installation by Cecilia Charlton, inspired by flowers found in a British garden, on loan and shown for the first time outside London.
Colors Uncovered runs until June 9.
harewood.org
GARDEN SECRETS
Join a free guided tour around Helmsley Walled Garden to discover seasonal highlights and interesting anecdotes about the garden’s history.
Built to provide fruit and vegetables to the Feversham family at Duncombe Park, there has been a walled garden here since 1758. It was brought back to life in 1994 and is a place where the therapeutic horticulture.
There’s a tour on June 1st, and special tours take place seasonally on Saturdays which are free of charge, with garden entry paid.
The tours start at 10:30, last approximately an hour, and are suitable for all. No advance booking is necessary. helmsleywalledgarden.org.uk
BEHIND THE SCENES
Experts at Sledmere Hall near Driffield host ‘in the know’ talks in the Walled Garden throughout the year. In June learn the skills of growing the different roses in the Sledmere Walled Garden.
Join head gardener Jan in The Walled Garden at Sledmere, for a stroll and talk about the different types and varieties of beautiful rambling, climbing and shrub roses grown in the gardens. Jan will discuss how the team prunes, trains and cares for the roses to get the best possible displays.
Talks on June 22, 25, 28, 30.
sledmerehouse.com
BRUSH STROKES
Lovely surroundings of Newburgh Priory, Coxwold, are the setting for a series of art courses this year drawing inspiration from the priory gardens. On May 23, there will be a Walking with Rembrandt Etching course with still life set will be available to inspire ideas for etchings.
A summer residential course, En Plein Air, July 7/8 will guide enthusiasts on how to draw and paint the stunning surrounding landscape of Newburgh Priory and enjoy a morning of life drawing. They will be following in the footsteps of the great French Impressionists who pioneered the fashion for painting outdoors, otherwise known as En Plein Air.
Newburghpriory.co.uk
DIG IN
Get your garden ready for summer with a shopping trip to the weekly plant and woodwork sale at Marsden Moor. All funds go back to helping look after the moors and plants for sale have been lovingly grown and tended to by volunteers who are on hand every Friday to offer advice. The team will also be selling woodwork including planters, troughs, seed trays, hedgehog houses and bird boxes to really give your garden that finishing touch. All the woodwork is made by volunteers from recycled wood.
Sales take place every Friday in May from 10am -2.30pm in the yard alongside the National Trust Marsden Moor Office, HD76DH. Card payments only. Nationaltrust.org.uk
ART IN THE ARBORETUM
A gentle day of art in the Arboretum at Thorp Perrow, Bedale, sounds like a good way to spend some time in nature. Whatever medium you like to use, the expert team on hand will help you see the Arboretum and interpret it your way.
Art day, June 8, £20 adult, £15 child Concessions available.
thorpperrow.com
VILLAGE ON SHOW
Little Ouseburn takes part in the Open Gardens scheme with a village showcase in May. The small picturesque village between Harrogate and York will show off large and compact loved gardens brimming with take-home ideas. The Grade 1 listed church features the Thompson family Mausoleum which will be open. Other attractions include flower arranging and Green Man trails as well as an extensive plant sale featuring plants from local gardens and nearby nurseries.
£6 adults, accompanied under 16s free.
Tickets can be purchased on the day at the Moat Hall car park and Little Ouseburn Village Hall.
May 19, 2024, 10am-5pm
A GARDENERS' FAIR
At Burton Agnes Hall the grounds will become a plant enthusiast’s paradise for this special event. There will be many specialist nurseries offering their plants, and stallholders selling vintage garden pieces, garden gifts and much more. Join Jeremy’s garden tours, and meet the characterful and friendly alpacas, too!
During the weekend, chainsaw carver extraordinaire Karl Barker will be crafting a new animal sculpture for the woodland, to join the fun and fabulous pieces he’s crafted for us during previous gardeners’ fairs.
At the Carriage House Courtyard feast on woodfired pizzas, homemade cakes, Wold Top Brewery beer and Coffesynthesis serving hot drinks.
June 8-9, 10am-5pm
Burtonagnes.com
TULIP TREATS
See many thousands of vibrant and colourful tulips at Constable Burton near Leyburn. As the northern show garden for Chelsea award-winning Bloms Bulbs, the gardens showcase more than 6000 tulips planted throughout formal and woodland gardens.
Planting schemes are designed to inspire you; discover the versatility of this glorious spring flower and let your imagination run wild planning your own garden designs. Marquees host a stunning display of cut blooms and there will be expert advice on hand from the Bloms team in attendance. Lawn marquees are open for light lunches, cakes, and cream teas
constableburton.com
LUNCH AND LINGER
If you like a good lunch and gorgeous garden potter, Middleton Lodge near Richmond has both to feast on. The kitchen garden provides ingredients for the dishes at The Coach House and which has a lovely outdoor dining area. In summer you can join guided garden tours. Each season transforms the walled garden, bringing new flowers, produce, colours and scents. Summer garden tours, led by the gardening team are a chance for you to see how summer changes the two-acre walled garden.
Re-designed by renowned landscape architect Tom Stuart-Smith in 2018, the garden now has four distinct areas so there is always something in its peak throughout the year. This garden tour is a chance to see the summer garden in full bloom.
Tours June 23, £10. middletonlodge.co.uk/events
BLISSFUL BLUEBELL WALKS
Roseberry Topping
Bluebells in the woodland reaching to this North Yorkshire landmark are a sight to see – and a photographer’s dream. The Newton Woods walk is about two miles and though fairly short, this walk involves a challenging ascent of Cleveland's most famous hill, from the top of which you can enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding county.
nationaltrust.org.uk
Hardcastle Crags
Bluebells are a spring highlight at Hardcastle Crags, where they cover the woodland. At their peak, they create a blue haze through the woods and valley, filling the air with their fragrance. Walks include the one-mile Estate track walk taking you from Midgehole car park to Gibson Mill. Take a stroll through the trees and explore the historic mill at the heart of the woodland. This wide, tree-lined route is also wheelchair and pushchair accessible.
The Mill walk is a 1¼-mile route through a stand of pines, with beautiful views over Hebden Valley.
nationaltrust.org.uk
Beningbrough Hall woods
The woods at Beningbrough Hall are carpeted with bluebells in spring.The National Trust website has a step-by-step guide of the route to follow, where you can take a detour to the medieval pike ponds and listen to birdsong. nationaltrust.org.uk
Hackfall Woods
The Woodland Trust’s Hackfall Woods is awash with bonny bluebells in May. The flowers are associated with ancient woodland and they reach their greatest densities in the UK’s woods where many thousands of bulbs can exist in one woodland, creating the incredible blue carpets we fondly associate with spring. They also grow along hedgerows and in fields. Nationaltrust.org.uk
Other places to see bluebells:
Oxenber Woods by Austwick,
Grass Wood near Grassington and Freeholders Wood in Lower Wensleydale,
Skipton Castle Woods can be accessed directly from Skipton high street. The woods run alongside Skipton Castle in the centre of the town. The ground becomes a blanket of blue and lavender during bluebell season.
