Spring gardens open for charity

The National Garden Scheme enables private gardens to be opened to the public on selected days of the year and collectively they raise millions of pounds for nursing and healthcare charities. I'd originally booked to go to Goldsborough Hall, near Knaresborough, for their 'Snowdrop Sunday'. When bad weather made that inadvisable, I rebooked to see the Spring garden display. Goldsborough is a fine mansion, built in the early 1600s by Sir Richard Hutton. It has had an interesting history, being the home of Princess Mary in the 1920s after she married Henry Lascelles, (later the 6th Earl of Harewood). Later it became a school and then a nursing home, before being restored as a private house in 2005. The owners now run it as an exclusive 5 star hotel. 

The snowdrops had given way to daffodils in the woodland, though those seemed to have been rather crushed by a recent snowfall we had, albeit short-lived. 

Apple and cherry blossom was blooming:

There were some rather attractive tulips with pointed petals:

Hard to know which is the Hall's 'best side' for photos. It's very attractive, made of lovely mellow, hand-made bricks. I'd have loved to see inside. We did have lunch in the orangery, a light and airy room with wonderful chandeliers, and the food, service and ambience spoke enticingly of what it might be like to stay there. (When I win the Lottery, I'll let you know!) 

Spring flowers seem mostly yellow, white or blue, which makes gardens so attractive. I adore the vibrant blue of these scillas: 

and the darker, purple blue of these anemones - one of my late mother's favourite flowers.