Raby in Bloom Review

DISCLOSURE – THIS EXPERIENCE WAS GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST/S FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW.

Reviewed by Jo Hardy

The talented team at Raby Castle have been very busy since my last visit. Working with some renowned florists, the Christmas trees have been removed, and the castle is now packed full of the most beautiful flower displays.

The entrance hall, a large dramatic space, now has a soft, dreamy feel. There is no way you could miss the huge globe suspended from the ceiling, all made from dried grasses cut from the castle’s walled garden. With the use of clever lighting, the globe gently changes colour but has an overall pink tinge. To the side of this is an installation of dried grasses and moss-covered mounds leading up a staircase. Looking at this, I was thinking of a walk in a meadow leading to a hidden magical place; it really set my imagination off.

Next was a walk through the castle rooms. Some of the flower displays here are inspired by old photos and drawings of the castle interior. The flowers had a lot to compete with, as the rooms are stunning, but they managed to shine. The table setting in the dining room was a spectacular burst of colour. Upstairs, in the Baron’s Hall, positioned in front of the window, is a huge sun portal, like a spider’s web woven with dried flowers. There is a walkway all around it and, as the view changes from different angles, I would imagine it also changes depending on the sun’s position. Leading us out of the room is an aisle of dried flower towers in assorted colours, which seem to be growing up from the floor and drifting into the ceiling.

The last room I visited was the kitchen, with its vast display of copper. Here, the displays were of dried herbs of the type that would have been used in cooking, and the smell was amazing.

The gardeners have also been busy planting seeds in the grounds to create a colourful display. These have not yet reached their full potential but are ready to bloom once we get some sunshine.

The people at Raby Castle are very focused on sustainability. All the dried flowers have been sourced from British growers, and British-made silk flowers are used in all the other displays.

Raby Castle has lots of things planned: talks by the gardeners, floral demonstrations, drawing classes, plant stalls, a children’s treasure trail, and live music are just some of them. Their “Spring Garden Fair” will also run over the May bank holiday.

More information can be found here: Raby Castle – Raby in Bloom

Local school children have been invited to contribute to a creative art project, creating a canvas inspired by “Raby in Bloom”.

“Raby in Bloom” runs from 2nd May to 31st August, opening times 11am to 4pm.

Entrance to Castle, Deer Park and Gardens:
Adults: £23
Children: £12
Under 4s: Free
Concessions available for students and over-60s

Buy Castle, Deer Park and Gardens tickets online at Raby Castle Tickets

Rating: 5/5

Raby.co.uk/events/castle-in-bloom/