Finding nature in the heart of urban York: York Museum Gardens wildflower meadow is back.
Date: 16 June 2025
Finding nature in the heart of urban York: York Museum Gardens wildflower meadow is back.
The hugely popular wildflower meadow is back in York Museum Gardens for 2025!
The meadow, originally planted for the 2024 ‘National Treasures’ exhibition at York Art Gallery, has been rejuvenated for the 2025 summer season. The team at York Museum Gardens have continued to draw inspiration from York Art Gallery, blending art and nature, and transforming the gardens into an immersive visual experience for all to enjoy.
The popularity of the wildflower meadow with over 500,000 visitors last year, as well as insects, birds and pollinators meant it undoubtedly had to become a recurring feature of the garden landscape. Planted with 27 native species including corn cockle, field poppies, and corn camomile (a daisy-like plant), the meadow has provided a wealth of habitat for wildlife, both whilst in bloom and into the winter months with the dried grasses being used as nesting material for birds and small mammals.
It also provided opportunities for the Gardens Team to get to grips with heritage farming techniques such as scything (aided by St Nick’s Nature). Once cut, the grasses were used throughout the gardens and the wildflower seeds were sold in the York Art Gallery and Yorkshire Museum gift shops, with all proceeds reinvested into the gardens.
The tranquillity of the meadow in the heart of the city emphasises the importance of nature and colour in everyday life. Visitors are invited to step inside the meadow, following the winding path that has been mown among the blooms. Or why not enjoy the view from above and take in the meadow from the balcony bar at York Art Gallery. Serving drinks and light refreshments every Saturday and Sunday 12pm-5pm.
The investment into green spaces for wellbeing has also been reflected down at the riverside, where a serpentine path has slowly been cultivated for the past three years to provide a new route for visitors to enjoy. Steve Williams, Garden Manager at York Museums Trust said “Due to the flood risk in this area of the garden, the plants chosen are very hardy to be able to withstand extreme changes to their environment. The rejuvenation of these areas of the garden help to create a diverse ecosystem to be enjoyed by wildlife and visitors throughout the seasons.”
The wildflower meadow is located behind York Art Gallery in the Artists’ Garden.
ENDS
Notes to editors
As the Summer Solstice approaches, we strongly encourage press and media to visit the gardens to take pictures/videos of the wildflower meadow in bloom.
The wildflower meadow, riverside planting and other areas of the garden are now in full bloom and will be at their peak between June and July.
If you would like to come and photograph the gardens, or for more information and images please contact:
Amy Cope
Public Relations Officer
T: 07761634646
About York Museum Gardens
Supported by Arts Council England
York Museum Gardens was established in the 1830s by the Yorkshire Philosophical Society. The York Museum Gardens are famous for their collection of trees, shrubs and perennials, and bulbs. The land was granted to the Yorkshire Philosophical Society under the condition that botanical gardens would be established on the site. These were created Sir John Murray Naysmith and originally contained a conservatory, a pond and a menagerie. In 1960, the gardens and the Yorkshire Museum were given in trust to the City of York Council and, since 2002, have been managed by the York Museums Trust (Charity number: 1092466)
