Himalayan Garden
& Sculpture Park

The Himalayan Garden occupies a natural wooded valley near Grewelthorpe, about halfway between Masham and Ripon. The site was chosen for its existing woodland, its stream and natural topography - features that lend themselves to the Himalayan planting style of layered canopy, understorey and stream-side planting.

The garden has grown over two decades to cover 45 acres, with the planting now mature enough to create genuine atmosphere. In spring the rhododendrons and magnolias that define the Himalayan style are at their peak, and the effect against the backdrop of native woodland is remarkable.

The sculpture element has developed into a major annual exhibition, with new works commissioned or selected each year and sited through the garden to create encounters that reward the slow pace of garden visiting. The combination is distinctive - this is not a traditional English garden and not a conventional sculpture park, but something that works better than either.

The great Victorian and Edwardian plant hunters - Joseph Hooker, Frank Kingdon-Ward, George Forrest - brought back thousands of plant species from the foothills and valleys of the Himalayas. Rhododendrons, meconopsis (the true blue Himalayan poppy), primulas, tree ferns and magnolias transformed the planting possibilities of British gardens.

The Himalayan Garden draws on this tradition. The valley's natural rainfall, its sheltered aspect and its acidic soil create the conditions these plants need. In late April and May the rhododendrons are extraordinary - large specimens in full flower along the paths above the lake, the colours ranging from deep crimson through every shade of pink to white.

The garden also grows meconopsis, candelabra primulas, hostas and moisture-loving perennials in the damper areas near the stream. Wildlife is abundant - red kites, roe deer, woodpeckers and a wide range of invertebrates use the varied habitats the garden provides.