A major lifestyle destination in the North of England is set to launch a spectacular new floral installation this spring, transforming its historic interiors with nature-inspired design.

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Raby Castle, Park and Gardens will unveil Castle in Bloom from Saturday 2 May, running throughout the Bank Holiday weekend and continuing until the end of August. The installation will see several areas of the castle brought to life with breathtaking floral arrangements, including contemporary designs by renowned florist Anna Potter of Swallows and Damsons.

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The castle’s grand Entrance Hall will feature a striking suspended orb crafted from dried deschampsia grasses, harvested from Raby’s own Walled Gardens. Root-like forms and mosses will cascade to the floor, while delicate grasses wind their way up the staircase, creating a dramatic and immersive natural display.

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Above, the Baron’s Hall will host an equally impressive centrepiece — a five-foot-wide suspended “sun portal” set against the backdrop of three grand windows. Made up of thousands of strands of dried flowers, the installation will swirl outward from its centre, gradually softening in density to create a sense of movement and light.

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Anna Potter, founder of Swallows and Damsons said:
“The Baron’s Hall is located directly above the castle’s Entrance Hall, so our installation has been meticulously designed to mirror the contrast between dark and light, with the orb representing the moon and the portal signifying the sun.

“Our creation downstairs features mosses, grasses and vines with an overall darker and more earthy experience focusing on texture to create a mystical and quietly beautiful scene, yet upstairs will feel more ethereal featuring colour and floral elements.”

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Throughout the Baron’s Hall, additional displays will include mounds of multi-coloured dried flowers arranged at varying heights, with delicate threads appearing to rise and evaporate into the vast ceiling space.

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Anna added:
“The sun portal will create the impression of a bright, swirling vortex of flowers, emanating colour and movement and the organic mounds of flowers will create an impactful and otherworldly scene, playing with scale and proportion.

“The Castle in Bloom installation takes an outdoor landscape and reinvents it inside. By isolating it in such a grand building like Raby Castle, the display will shine a light on the beauty of nature – it will allow visitors to enjoy the unexpected and find a new level of inspiration, creating a sense of connection and awe for the natural world.”

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Complementing the installation, Yorkshire-based florists Opulence and the Beetle will transform additional rooms with vibrant displays inspired by Old Master paintings in the castle and floral illustrations from the 1730s book The Flower Garden Display’d, held in the historic library.

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Julie Biddlecombe-Brown, curator at Raby Castle said:
“The castle is no stranger to floral spectaculars as photographs dating from the 1890s in the archives show its magnificent rooms packed full of abundant displays – one of which will be fully recreated in the ground floor library.”

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Raby’s own gardening team will also contribute installations across the castle, including within the medieval kitchen.

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Becky Crowley, assistant head gardener at Raby Castle, Park and Gardens said:
“It’s been wonderful collaborating with Anna and providing cuttings from our Walled Gardens for her installation. Our visitors can already connect with nature in our beautiful Walled Gardens, Deer Park and landscaped grounds but to bring the outdoors into the castle and its impressive rooms is going to be an amazing concept for our visitors to experience.”

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Beyond the castle, the wider visitor experience will embrace the floral theme, including the café, retail spaces and a dedicated exhibition celebrating Raby’s long-standing connection with horticulture. The exhibition will highlight notable figures such as 18th-century botanist Lady Anne Monson, alongside the generations of head gardeners who have shaped the estate’s award-winning gardens.

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Entry to Castle in Bloom is included with all Castle, Park and Gardens tickets, priced from £23 for adults and £12 for children (ages 4–15), with a family ticket available for £66. The Family Explorer Ticket, which includes access to all attractions across the estate, also includes entry and is priced from £60 for two adults and two children when booked in advance.

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