A May-time Walk Around Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens

I paid a very brief visit last week to Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens.

To the west of the Gardens is an area of parkland (in public ownership and badly in need of restoration) comprising grassland, scrubland, woodland and reedbeds - one of these days I will get round to exploring this area.




In the early 1980's a planning application was made to develop parkland surrounding the Hall and Gardens. West Midlands County Council undertook a survey of the area which revealed the importance of this area and the Gardens and planning permission was refused. Following consultation with interested parties, the present Earl of Bradford agreed to donate to a trust, the part of the Gardens still in his ownership. Bovis Homes (who then owned the Castle Bromwich Hall and part of the Gardens), together with the National Trust, agreed to set up the Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens Trust which was officially launched as a registered charity in May 1985. The Trust with a "Friends of Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens" group began restoration of the Gardens which had become very overgrown and derelict and had also suffered from vandalism since the death of Lady Ida Bridgeman in 1936, who was the last member of the Bridgeman family to live at the Hall.

I started my walk in the Walled Garden

My Lady's Border



Lower Wilderness



North Orchard



There were several butterflies flying around the orchard - I saw my first Holly Blues of the year and a Speckled Wood









I left the formal part of the Gardens to enter the Extra Gardens. There were quite a few Orange Tip butterflies on the wing in Nut Ground and Bluebells in flower.




Green Alkanet







Hawthorn is starting to blossom



and I am still chuffed about my first ever Tree Bumble Bee sighting!



Blossom in the New Orchard



Marsh marigolds or Kingcups are starting to flower in the South Pond. Other common names for this plant include: Golden Knobs, May Bubbles, Bulls'eyes and Water Goggles.



Back in the main Walled Garden there is still plenty of Lungwort in flower



and more blossom on the espaliers.



Green House from Holly Walk



Upper Wildnerness and Castle Bromwich Hall (now a hotel)



Looking down the West Claire-vole from Holly Walk towards the Extra Gardens and West Pond



Geraniums in the Green House



Horse Chestnut in flower near the Church




Reference: Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens by Nicholas Stockton