Paradise for plants at orchid festival
ONE of Yorkshire’s premier stately homes has been transformed into an orchid paradise for the next few weeks.
Until April 7 Burton Agnes Hall and Gardens in East Yorkshire will welcome gardening enthusiasts.
A spokesman for the East Yorkshire home said: “The ground floor of the house is transformed into a plant paradise, with several hundred beautiful orchids through the Great Hall and the adjoining rooms.
"Stunning, often vibrantly coloured and highly-scented, the diverse varieties of orchids take centre stage and offer us all a much-needed hit of flamboyant floral beauty.
"Our creative schemes celebrate the drama and diversity of this fascinating plant family, which grow exceptionally well as houseplants in our cool climate.”
If you find inspiration in the arrangements, you can choose plants from a broad selection that have been chosen for sale, which are displayed on the ground floor too. The whole event is wheelchair accessible.
The event was launched by orchid expert Ray Creek who gave a series of entertaining, informative and fascinating talks about this glorious species, and how to care for the plants in your own home.
Burton Agnes Hall is said to be “a house of immense charm and character”. It has many unusual features and is fortunate in suffering so little from alterations or additions in its history. The family stress that it is a “lived-in” home and this welcome quality is perhaps its most appealing asset. Since the Norman Manor House was built by Roger de Stuteville in 1173 the property has never changed hands by sale, though it has at times passed from family to family.
The architect was in fact Robert Smythson - Master Mason to Queen Elizabeth I and builder of such other glorious houses as Longleat, Wollaton and Hardwick. It is the only Smythson house where the plan still exists. In his definitive book on the Smythsons, Mark Girouard called Burton Agnes a