Ray Wood stands to the east of Castle Howard on the site of an ancient woodland. The 3rd Earl of Carlisle created serpentine paths in the natural style wood and filled it with statues, cascades, fountains, pavilions and summerhouses, but by the mid-18th century these had disappeared. In the 1940s it was clear felled for the war effort, but in the 1970s George Howard and his designer James Russell created a woodland garden reinstating the irregular paths in its 25 acres. Today, their planting legacy means there are nearly 800 species of Rhododendron in the Wood, as well as glades of Pieris, wild roses, magnolias, hydrangeas, viburnums and maples and rowans. The collection is of national importance and many of the plants have come here from across the globe and were were derived from those brought to the UK by some of the great plant hunters of the 19th and 20th centuries. The collection of plants is now managed by the Arboretum Trust staff, with assistance from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. We spent an exclusive day with John Grimshaw, Director of the Yorkshire Arboretum, starting with an introductory talk at the Arboretum, John then lead a walk through the wood.

Sewerby Hall is Yorkshire’s uniquely sited historic park and garden in a dramatic clifftop position. With its spectacular views over Bridlington and the Bay it has a long history from 1086 when it was a manorial estate held by the count of Mortain. Having passed through various families it was acquired in 1714 by John Graeme I, a Bridlington merchant and the Graeme’s held the estate for 220 years. John Graeme III inherited Sewerby in 1798 and having married in succession two wealthy heiresses and inheriting some money from his father he set about designing his landscape setting for the Georgian house and making additions to the building.  

After coffee and biscuits, Val Hepworth and Caroline Kernan led the day explaining the developments at Sewerby and guided members outside in the afternoon. There is no evidence that a ‘well-known’ name was employed by Graeme, but it is likely he was influenced by other landowners in his social circle. Sewerby is something of a hybrid, not a truely rugged picturesque landscape, but incorporating Brownian clumps, belts and picturesque use of the sea. There are distinctly Reptonian features, mid 19th century Victorian aspects and the walled kitchen garden appears built with three compartments on the 1854 OS Map.  Afterwards there was an opportunity to visit Sewerby Hall. A Listed Grade I house it underwent a total restoration in 2013-2014 and has been re-presented as an Edwardian Country house, circa 1910. The rooms are furnished with impressive pieces from the Victoria and Albert Museum as well as other important collections.

The Dissolution of the Monasteries left several sites within or close to the York city walls that were productive gardens or had the space to be so. Several of these subsequently became significant plant nurseries. The walk will begin with the lost site on Fishergate that became the Riggs nursery, and proceed to the site close to Clifford’s Tower that became Matthew Wharton’s nursery, and then to Tanner Row where the Telfords and later the Backhouses established their important nursery businesses. The walk will finish close to the centre of York at the Yorkshire Museum gardens, another location where monastic land became an important horticultural site.
None of the nurseries survived beyond the mid-19th century, so map evidence and illustrations will be provided to help us imagine them. During the walk we will examine the importance not just of the nurseries but also of York more generally as a centre of horticultural innovation from the mid-17th century onwards.

Yorkshire Gardens Trust held its 2024 AGM at Askham Bryan College. After the AGM business we heard from Trevor Nicholson, Head Gardener at Harewood who  spoke on "Harewood’s Gardens & Grounds – ‘Reimagined’ Content" and following lunch we toured the college facilities with staff members

Both created at the same time in the early 18th century by some of the same craftsmen, these two Yorkshire sites have seen centuries of change and challenge before coming into the care of the National Trust.
Wentworth Castle Gardens near Barnsley was conceived as a grand expression of aristocratic pride and taste. The remains of this vision sit at the core of the site, overlaid with important 19th and 20th century influences. The contemporary Beningbrough Hall near York was the creation of a wealthy young gentry couple hoping to consolidate and enhance their family status. The remarkable preservation of their house stands in contrast to the much-altered garden and parkland.
Most recently, both sites have shifted from being private spaces to thriving public assets. Hear how has this developed and how the contemporary National Trust is working at these places to further enhance their social benefit alongside ensuring the care and conservation of nationally significant heritage assets?

The period 2016 to 2019 saw the complete restoration of the substantial early 20th century Rock Garden at Burnby Hall Gardens. Originally created for the owners of Burnby Hall, Major Percy and Mrs Katharine Stewart, by James Backhouse and Son of York, a substantial Heritage Lottery Fund grant supported the transformation of this unique location. This illustrated lecture featured a brief history of the Stewarts and details the extensive work that has been undertaken to restore the Rock Garden, including obtaining the funding, the challenges that were overcome, and its ongoing maintenance.
 

Bramham Park was created by Robert Benson, Lord Bingley at the beginning of the Eighteenth Century, as a residence and landscape to demonstrate the status he had risen to as Chancellor of the Exchequer and a Director of the South Sea Company. In the three following centuries a combination of irresponsible illegitimate children, gambling debts, a disastrous fire, two world wars, inheritance taxes and a hurricane-force gale meant that Benson’s design has never been substantially changed. This makes Bramham a rare survival of the period between baroque formality and the Landscape Movement, showing the development from one to the other.
Since the gale in 1962, Benson’s descendants have sought to restore Bramham to its original condition and the current owner, Nick Lane Fox recounted his efforts, since taking over from his father in 1997.

Our first event of 2024 was a morning visit to Devonshire Mill, Pocklington to enjoy snowdrops in the 2 acre garden of Chris and Sue Bond - followed by tea and coffee and scones. 

YGT members enjoyed an introductory talk covering the history of the site and a guided tour of the gardens and pleasure grounds.

Our visit included an in-depth summary of the history of the site followed by an extensive garden tour. Despite heavy rain features of interest including the newly-restored Target Garden, the Alpine Bed, The Grotto/Quarry Garden, a Summerhouse and eyecatcher were viewed.