No mystery why gardens have won gold

It’s been flooded, frozen and trampled on by hundreds of community theatre players. Yet Museum Gardens has bounced back to win gold.

York’s city centre park has been awarded the York Gold Rose Award by voluntary horticultural campaigners, Yorkshire In Bloom.

“It has been a challenging twelve months for all gardeners and at Museum Gardens we have faced difficulties caused by flooding, snow, wear and tear following events and the long, cold spring,” said Alison Pringle, the gardens manager for York Museums Trust.

“However, new planting established well, the spring displays were very colourful and the warm, sunny summer encouraged plants to put on plenty of growth.”

First established as a botanic garden by the Yorkshire Philosophical Society in 1840, the garden is now managed by York Museums Trust and plays host to over 1.3 million visitors a year.

Maintaining an undulating riverside landscape complete with butterfly borders and six listed buildings is a challenge. But the visiting judge was full of praise.

“I had the pleasure of judging this garden two years ago and it was wonderful to see that areas of the re-landscaped garden had matured, but more important that a dedicated knowledgeable plant lady was now in charge of the garden.

“Due to the Mystery Plays in 2012, extensive damage to the grass had occurred, but now it could be seen that winter maintenance had restored the garden to its full glory and a very well done to all staff involved.”