Walled garden

Whilst Castle Howard's grounds are mostly sweeping parkland, lakes and woodland, there is also an extensive walled garden, beautifully laid out and immaculately tended. At this time of year the stand-out stars are the roses, festooning walls and borders, lending a light fragrance to the air as you walk past. 

The gardens were presided over by an imposing 'larger than life' statue of George William Frederick Howard, 7th Earl of Carlisle (1802-1864), who had an illustrious career as an MP and, later, Member of the House of Lords. For a few years he held the role of Chief Commissioner for Woods and Forests, and was apparently an enthusiastic champion of Kew Gardens and instrumental in securing funds for a significant plant-hunting expedition to the Himalayas by Sir Jospeh Hooker.