A major lifestyle destination in the North of England has revealed first look images of its new floral installation, Castle in Bloom, ahead of its opening on Saturday 2nd May.

Raby Castle and the visitor buildings throughout its grounds have been transformed for summer 2026 with breathtaking floral arrangements inspired by nature.

Alan McKerchar, general manager at Raby Castle said: “Every department at Raby has played a part in bringing this theme to life. In the past Raby Castle would have been an incredibly productive place with home grown flowers, plants and even tropical fruits! Old photographs show us that flowers and plants would have filled the castle in the past and we were all delighted to lean into that history and bring this theme to life.”

Raby’s gardening team have also sown flowers on the castle terrace to create a multi-coloured display of annual flowers.

Dickon Harding, gardens and landscape manager at Raby Castle said: “We also wanted to extend the experience to the exterior of the castle and delight visitors with a sea of colours as soon as you walk through the castle gates. The castle is a very dominating building but the addition of flowers to the terrace will soften the façade and show 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 for visitors to follow after entering through the Neville Gateway 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.”

Heading inside the Castle, arches of tumbling flowers and meadows growing up from the floors are some of the first delights to experience, taking visitors on a visual journey from dark to light which is full of texture and floral scents.

Deborah Simpson Boston, a local floral designer and owner of Periwinkle Barn, based at Raby for the summer, has created this living, breathing entrance to the main installation through the medieval passage.

Deborah said: “The design for the passageway has been created to welcome guests to the space and draw them into the Castle in Bloom experience. A mixture of textures has been incorporated, including soft grasses, wildflowers and dried British flowers, and we’ve purposefully chosen flowers which are warm, fragrant and inviting for an immersive experience down the corridor.”

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.

The Entrance Hall features an incredible suspended orb, representing the moon, consisting of dried deschampsia grasses, which have been cut from Raby's own Walled Gardens. On the floor above, the Baron’s Hall houses a giant suspended sun portal against the backdrop of the three grand windows.

To complement Swallows and Damsons’ designs, several local suppliers and creators have contributed to the Castle in Bloom installation, including Yorkshire based florist Opulence and the Beetle, whose exuberant and colourful creations have transformed additional Castle rooms.

Blooms by Samuel Baker, a curated collection of faux botanicals which are stocked in Raby’s Coach House, has helped to celebrate the floral theme in other areas across the lifestyle destination. As part of the wider experience, they have woven a decorative meadow installation into the ladder in The Vinery Cafe alongside three large ball-burst arrangements full of summer flowers suspended in the Round House.

To celebrate Raby’s historic passion for plants, a themed exhibition has also been created for visitors to peruse. It features important individuals such as the 18th century botanist Lady Anne Monson who grew up at Raby when the walled garden was being developed and the head gardeners who have innovated and developed the award-winning garden throughout history.

For a full day out at Raby brimming with floral inspiration, visitors can soak up the creative planting designs of two well-known designers. Yorkshire based Alistair Baldwin designed the planting scheme which envelopes the visitor buildings beautifully, whilst in the Walled Gardens, visitors can admire the work by award-winning garden designer Luciano Giubbilei and Lady Barnard, where there’s also the Garden Trading furniture collection to explore in the Conservatory. Indulgence awaits with an afternoon tea with a floral twist in The Vinery Cafe, featuring a beautifully presented three-tiered stand of freshly prepared delights.

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, £12 for children (ages 4-15 years) and £66 for a family ticket (two adults and two children). Raby’s family explorer ticket, which provides access to everything at the lifestyle destination, will also include entry to Castle in Bloom and is £60 for two adults and two children when booked online in advance.


For further information and to book tickets, visit: www.raby.co.uk/events/raby-castle-in-bloom/