Discover the garden at Ormesby Hall

Family walking in garden in spring — There is lots to enjoy around the gardens as it springs back to life | © National Trust Images

Explore the garden at Ormesby Hall, to discover a green oasis in the heart of industrial Middlesbrough. Enjoy the seasonal delights of this colourful Victorian formal garden and embrace the family fun on the woodland walk and natural play area.

Ormesby Hall garden in spring

There are two big spring wow moments and great photo opportunities at Ormesby Hall, with daffodils in March and tulips in late April into May.

The front lawn in front of Ormesby Hall’s main entrance has been planted with thousands of native daffodils which provides a cheery welcome arrival for visitors, as the green lawn becomes a dazzling mix of bright yellows. Whilst at the back of the house, the tulips dominate the formal garden, creating a beautiful sight of spring colour. A newly planted blossom garden has been planted adjacent to the welcome hut. New blossom trees, such as cherry, crab apple, scarlet hawthorn and Amelanchier have been planted, surrounded by a mix of spring bulbs.

Other spring flower moments are the Japanese and Chinese wisteria, which wrap the Dining Room windows in with their beautiful blue blooms, perfect for admiring as you relax on the café terrace. In the octagonal beds, the garden team have planted 1,000 iris reticulata to add some early seasonal flowerings, with a mix of whites, dark blues and purple. Also 3000 alliums have been planted in the croquet borders to give some late spring colour and a feast for bees.

Blossom at Ormesby

A new selection of flowering cherry trees have been planted opposite the Welcome Hut at Ormesby Hall, this will provide a show of blossom as the first view of the gardens as visitors arrive in the spring. Other flowering cherry trees are established throughout the garden, and Amelanchier in the croquet borders.

The new orchard meadow was planted up with young fruit trees in March 2022, and the blossom will improve year on year from now on. More mixed native hedgerows, including hawthorn and blackthorn have been planted around the estate over the last few years and they will soon be bursting into life to offer blossom for an array of insects, and perfect nesting habitat for many garden birds.

Visitors exploring the gardens at Ormesby Hall, North Yorkshire | © ©National Trust Images/Paul Harris

Wildflowers

At Ormesby Hall we are gardening with nature in mind, the wildflower meadows are increasing their diversity year on year. The meadow adds beautiful colour and creates a relaxing space, attracting insects like bees, hoverflies, butterflies and moths throughout the warmer months.

Nature at Ormesby Hall

Spring is the time when birds start singing. In winter they huddle together for safety and warmth, but in spring they start becoming territorial, singing to secure a territory and to attract females.

The earliest birds to nest are long tailed tits. Starting in March, it takes them up to three weeks to build their exquisite nests, a complicated nest using cobwebs, lichens and moss. The cobwebs make it stretchy, so it will stretch and grow as the young chicks inside get bigger. It is filled with moss for comfort and adorned on the outside with Lichen to disguise it from eagle-eyed predators. They often build their nests in prickly plants such as berberis, hawthorn and brambles to give them even more protection.

Our resident kestrels will be displaying and hunting across our parkland. They are always easy to see as they habitually hover with fast wing beats, keeping them completely stationary in the sky.

The meadow orchard is a great place to spend some time enjoying nature in the calm tranquil and atmosphere of this newly established part of the gardens. The pond will become alive with native pond plants and a host of water loving creatures. As we leave spring into summer, creatures such as pond skaters will be seen on the water and dragonflies flying above.

Visitors can help by keeping dogs under close control as they can cause issues for a variety of wildlife and farm animals.

Delicate pale pink flowers bloom on tree branches against the blue sky — Blossom blooming at Ormesby Hall, North Yorkshire | © National Trust Images/Annapurna Mellor

Exploring further afield

The wider Ormesby estate offers around 240 acres of woodlands, open fields, streams and parkland to explore. It’s the perfect place to stretch your legs, let little ones enjoy the outdoors, walk the dog or simply take in the changing seasons.

Our multi-user trail provides an accessible all-weather loop around the estate, suitable for walkers, runners, wheelchair users, pushchairs and cyclists. The trail offers an easy way to explore the landscape beyond the gardens and connect with nature at your own pace.

There are also three waymarked estate walks, each around 1.2–1.5 miles, taking in woodland, St Cuthbert’s Church, local farms and a small waterfall. Speak to the team on arrival for guidance on where to start.

Many of the routes pass by our tenant farmer’s fields, where you may see sheep with their spring lambs and horses grazing. Please follow the countryside code whilst exploring the estate.