Industry News
Wildflowers in bloom welcome visitors to Raby Castle
A vibrant display of Wildflowers on Raby Castle’s terrace is in full bloom, creating a colourful and welcoming sight for visitors this summer.
The multi-coloured display of annual flowers features sky-blue borage, the soft tones of love-in-a-mist and the fiery hue of warm red-orange poppies. It has been created by Raby’s gardening team as an extra instalment in Castle in Bloom, a floral installation which has seen Raby Castle and the visitor buildings throughout its grounds transformed with breathtaking floral arrangements inspired by nature and has already welcomed thousands of visitors.
Dickon Harding, gardens and landscape manager at Raby Castle said: “Castle in Bloom has been exceptionally popular with our visitors this summer and whilst the majority of the spectacle has been about bringing nature indoors and drawing attention to its beauty by isolating it inside, we also wanted to extend the experience to the exterior of the castle.
“As soon as visitors walk through the castle gates, they are greeted with a vibrant sea of colour. Raby Castle is a very dominating building but the addition of flowers to the terrace has softened the façade and shows the historic building in an entirely new light.
“The placement of the seeds and flowers, which have been provided by Boston Seeds, has allowed us to create a visually stunning pathway and we’ve also left the lawns to the north of the castle to grow, ensuring there is a beautiful and natural environment all around. With just over one month left to experience Castle in Bloom, now is the perfect time to witness this stunning expanse of natural colour.”
A Victorian watercolour displayed in the Barons’ Hall shows the changes on the castle south terrace over the centuries.
Julie Biddlecombe-Brown, curator at Raby Castle said: “Painted in the 1850s and mysteriously signed ORC, the artist remains unknown but their legacy gives a glimpse of the area now covered in a stunning swathe of wildflowers.
“The painting was created in the time of the 2nd Duke and Duchess of Cleveland and where today the surface is gravelled, we see a grassy terrace with stone steps leading up to the castle, complete with ornamental planters of striking red flowers, mirroring the scarlet poppies that can be seen this summer.
“Just as visitors today enjoy the beauty of the sunny, south-facing space, the watercolour shows three adults relaxing in their leisure pursuits, one woman sketching – perhaps the artist themselves – one woman reading and the other with his loyal spaniel.”
Heading inside the Castle, arches of tumbling flowers and meadows growing up from the floors are some of the first delights to experience in the medieval passage, taking visitors on a visual journey from dark to light which is full of texture and floral scents.
The centrepiece of Castle in Bloom is in some of the Castle’s grandest rooms, showcasing contemporary designs created by renowned florist Anna Potter from Swallows and Damsons, as her installation further explores the contrast between dark and light.
Castle in Bloom is running until the 31st August and entry is included in all Castle, Park and Gardens tickets which are £23 for adults, £22 for concessions, £10.50 for children (ages 4-15 years) and £57.75 for a family ticket (two adults and two children).
Raby’s family explorer ticket, which provides access to everything at the lifestyle destination, includes entry to Castle in Bloom as well as access to the new Hidden Forest play area in The Plotters' Forest and the Hidden Garden: An Immersive Experience in the Riding School. The family explorer ticket is £65.80 for two adults and two children when booked online in advance until Monday 31st August.