Autumn comes to Helmsley Walled Garden as attraction hosts apple-themed events

The event which was staged at Helmsley Walled Garden throughout the weekend included tastings, demonstrations on the fine art of pruning and story trails on how the apple came to Britain has become one the highlights of the region’s gardening calendar.

Volunteers were on hand at the walled gardens throughout the weekend to guide visitors through the site’s famous orchid house, which is currently the focus of a major restoration project.

The walled garden’s manager, June Tainsh, said: “The orchid house is one of the site’s original glasshouses that would have been part of this working garden since 1759.

“With no such thing as central heating in private homes, the right conditions to care for such plants could only be created in heated glasshouses.

“It would have possibly housed quite a range of exotic plants and now we want to create a new heating system that should enable us to return at least a small number of orchids to this elegant building.

“It also needs some urgent remedial attention to enable us to enjoy it into the future.”

The garden was originally built to provide fruit and vegetables for the Feversham family at the nearby Duncombe Park estate.

However, in 1994 a local practice nurse, Alison Ticehurst, spotted its potential as both a visitor attraction and a location which could support people with mental and physical health issues.

The walled garden in the North Yorkshire market town now hosts community events and workshops throughout the year.