York Museum Gardens are botanic gardens in the centre of York beside the River Ouse in the former grounds of St Mary's Abbey.
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The abbey ruins form a wonderful backdrop to the garden.
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The colours of autumn are in full swing in this garden, fallen leaves litter the ground and turn the grass and pavements in to a scrunchy carpet.
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There are a number of different beds and borders in the garden, each devoted to a different type of plant, The Oriental Bed, Wildlife Border, The Prairie Bed, Fern Garden and The Rockery. Most of the borders are passed their best at this time of year but I'm sure they look stunning in summer.
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The Butterfly Border was designed to supply nectar for butterflies, bees, moths and other insects. Its planting reflects this.
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It must be a real butterfly magnet in summer, though most of the plants have now finished blooming for this year.
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There are several historic buildings in the gardens, The York Observatory being one. It was built in 1832 and houses the oldest working telescope in Yorkshire. I must ask Daniel if he's visited the observatory, he's studying Physics with Astrophysics at York University so I'm sure it would be of interest to him.
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The flower beds to the back of the observatory are inspired by space, stars and the planets.
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There's some wonderful container planting in the entrances to the gardens. I like how lots of mismatched pots have been used and many different plants are in the display.
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The Hospitium was built around the 14th century as one of St Mary's Abbey's support buildings. It's where the pilgrims who visited the abbey would be fed and housed. Today, the hospitium can be hired as a wedding venue. What a beautiful backdrop the gardens would be for a wedding.
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There are some beautiful trees in the gardens too. Many are home to semi-tame grey squirrels, some of which will allow you to hand feed them peanuts.
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Not many plants were at their peak, but there was still colour to be found.
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It's wonderful to find such a beautiful green space, and one with so much history too, in the heart of a city. This is another garden I shall return to in summer as I'm sure it will be spectacular then.
What you say is very true: gardens can be completely different in the different seasons of the year. In theory it is good to keep going back to the same place, though that means less opportunity for visiting new places.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to visit many of the gardens I've been to this year in a different season, as you say, they can be completely different and have different things to offer at different times of the year.
DeleteI was well impressed with Breezy Knees. They include a June garden and a September garden.
DeleteI've never visited Breezy Knees, it's been on my list for a while so I'll definitely have to make the effort to get there next year.
DeleteWhat a beautiful place, one that should definitely go on our list as it's not too far away x
ReplyDeleteIt's a lovely place to pop in to if you're visiting York anyway as it's right in the centre and not at all out of the way. I like that we have these green spaces right in the middle of our cities.
DeleteI do love York and the gardens are lovely.
ReplyDeleteX x
I love York too. I'm so lucky that we live so close to such a beautiful city which has so much to offer.
DeleteWhat a wonderful spot, and so beautifully planted as well. The abbey is fantastic. I love the pots too, it's difficult to get pots right I find, but those are perfect. I'm taking notes! CJ xx
ReplyDeleteI think the thing they've got right with these pots is having plants of differing heights, somthing I'm not all that successful with when I'm trying to create a similar display.
DeleteA most enjoyable post and lovely photos, I especially like the hospitum one. It really is surprising to see flowers like cosmos and poppies in November.
ReplyDeleteI have been round these gardens once, on a fine day in early summer, and particularly remember the abbey ruins rather than the plants. Flighty xx
The hospitium was cordoned off when we were there, I think there was a wedding in progress. It was a beautiful autumn day for them. It was lovely to see flowers still blooming in November, especially ones which we wouldn't usually see at this time of year, though we had a frost last night so they may not be there any longer. The abbey ruins are a beautiful feature of the gardens.
DeleteLovely photos. It's ages since I was there so I'll add it to my list for 2015.
ReplyDeleteWe're in York quite often so I think I'll pop in when spring comes as I know there's spring displays and it will be nice to see it in full glory during the summer too.
DeleteI can understand why you would want to visit this garden again.
ReplyDeleteI love the ruins and the history.
Warms my heart to see borders planted for wildlife.....I wish we could see more of this, although I think things are improving.
I love that white rose.....beautiful
There's lots of information boards about the history of the abbey and the other buildings in the gardens, it's all very interesting. I too love to see borders planted up for the wildlife, as you say, things are improving as I think people are becoming more aware of the plight of bees, butterflies and insects. The Tansy Beetle is only found in York and is at risk of extinction. Tansy is being planted in the Museum Gardens to provide more habitat space for this beetle. I'd included a red rose in my post so had to even things out and include a white rose, associated with Yorkshire.
DeleteLovely photos - I am sure the garden is beautiful in summer, but I like the tranquility of autumn that your pictures captured so well. The ruins are wonderful!
ReplyDeleteIt is a beautiful garden for quiet contemplation. There are quite a few benches scattered about which people were making use of. It's easy to see what a magnificent building the abbey once was from the ruins alone.
DeleteIt is beautiful Jo, and very atmospheric with the Abbey ruins at this time of year. I thought that the monkey puzzle tree in the butterfly border was an unusual choice, but it looks good there doesn't it. xx
ReplyDeleteThe abbey ruins certainly add to the garden. The butterfly border is the photo underneath the sign for it, the monkey puzzle tree is in a different border. I love to see beds designed with wildlife in mind.
DeleteThe gardens are truly stunning at this time of year with all the autumn colours. I too love the pots. And when I get married again ;-) I will have my wedding there for sure, beautiful xxx
ReplyDeleteI have to say that I'm not a huge fan of autumn, I don't like the dull, soggy days, but seeing such a range of amazing colour in a beautiful garden goes some way to change my way of thinking. Don't forget to invite me to the wedding, the Hospitium looks like a beautiful place and I'd love to attend a wedding there.
DeleteA beautiful garden to visit and still such a lot of colour.
ReplyDeleteIt was lovely to see plants still blooming, so there was summer colour amongst all the autumn colour. So much to see.
DeleteA city public garden with so many historical buildings as a backdrop is certainly a place to enjoy. Lovely photos of individual flowers and Autumn scene. It's a garden I would love to return to myself.
ReplyDeleteI love that this garden is right in the centre of the city, I think more people get to enjoy it as they don't have to make a special journey to visit it. I fully intend to return at different times of the year, I'm sure there'll be lots more to discover.
DeleteI have visited this garden and it is beautiful, I have never been in the summer either I bet it's stunning.
ReplyDeleteIt's like a bit of calm right in the centre of a very busy city. I'm looking forward to returning in summer, I bet it has a totally different feel to it.
DeleteI love York and those gardens are gorgeous. I remember the butterfly garden from a few summers ago and it did look fantastic. I think that might have been the last time we went to York. Makes me think we should try and get there again soon. Wow, physics with astrophysics - you have a very clever son. :)) I went to the open day at York Uni seemed like a very nice place to study.
ReplyDeleteWe're lucky that we live so close to York, I shall definitely pop back to see the garden in summer. I'm sure, as you say, the butterfly garden will be fantastic then. York was Daniel's first choice of uni and he's very happy there, it's a beautiful city with so much to offer. Maths was always his best subject so I expected him to take a Maths degree, and it wasn't until we started looking at unis that he decided on Physics with Astrophysics, but he's very happy with his choice.
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