Discover the garden at Ormesby Hall

Young children enjoying the natural play area in the garden at Ormesby Hall in winter — Enjoy the garden and natural play area during your visit this winter | © Trevor Ray Hart

Explore the garden at Ormesby Hall, to discover a green oasis in the heart of industrial Middlesbrough. Enjoy the seasonal delights of this colourful Victorian formal garden and embrace the family fun on the woodland walk and natural play area.

Ormesby Hall garden in winter

Spot plenty of green at Ormesby throughout winter, from the dark holly to the lighter shades of laurels in the formal garden.

It is the time when the shape of the garden can be fully seen. The infrastructure and the design is laid out as the bare bones of the garden. While many of the herbaceous plants will be sleeping through the winter, many plants will be left with architectural seed heads, providing winter food for birds, and their hollow stems which provide a safe haven for the important overwintering insects. Seasonal interest and colour to be seen with Yellow Winter Aconites and Winter Jasmine.

Glistening cobwebs and sparkling frost cling to these last standing plants providing beauty in miniature and wonderful photo opportunities.

The spring garden is the first area to come alive, starting with snowdrops and the crocus announcing the end of winter and signs of warmer weather to come.

Young children enjoying the wooden garden at Ormesby Hall during winter — Explore the wooded areas of the gardens at Ormesby Hall | © Joanne Crawford

Exploring further afield

The Ormesby estate has 240 acres of woodlands, crop fields, running streams and open fields to explore, so stretch your legs, get the little ones out in nature, walk your four-legged friends and enjoy the parkland.

There are three waymarked walks across the estate, each 1.2–1.5 miles in length and taking in woodlands, St Cuthbert’s Church, local farms and a mini waterfall. Speak to the team on arrival for information on where to start the walks.

Many of the walks take you past our tenant farmer’s fields, where you may see sheep with the spring lambs and horses grazing. Please follow the countryside code whilst walking on the estate.