Whinfell Quarry Garden and Whirlow Brook Park

An opportunity to visit two adjacent gardens in south west Sheffield which were both originally in private ownership and both are on land that originally belonged to the Duke of Devonshire’s estate.

They are now in public ownership and are good case studies about what can happen to significant gardens when their owners move on and they become part of the public domain. Both have active Friends Groups who will host our visits.

Whinfell Quarry Garden, registered Grade 2, belonged to Samuel Doncaster, a Quaker and one of the important steel masters. The Backhouse nursery laid out the very impressive quarry garden at the end of the 19th century and Clarence

Elliot laid out a small alpine garden some years later. The house no longer exists and the grounds were acquired by Sheffield City and are run as a public access park. Our visit should coincide with a good range of rhododendron colour.

Whirlow Brook is a little later. Again, Backhouses worked there although whether just on the rock gardens or across the whole landscape is not clear. The park also now belongs to Sheffield City and, again, is run as a public park. The house stills exists and is now run as a wedding venue, independent of the city council, and there is a small café, The Shelter, also independently run.

Visiting the gardens will involve a good amount of walking, little of it on the flat. Stout walking shoes or boots are recommended.

We will start at Whirlow Brook, with an introductory talk by Gillian Parker.

Tickets cost: £15.00 non-members £18.00

Organisers: Gillian Parker and Maddy Hughes

Tickets for all events will be available electronically, using Eventbrite as last year. Each event has its own link to the Eventbrite page which will allow you to book a ticket.  The Eventbrite page will give you the name, date and time, location, refund policy and description which includes information about directions and parking. We are sorry but you can only book tickets for one event at a time.

If you want to buy tickets for multiple events on-line, please use the booking form and send this to events@yorkshiregardenstrust.org.uk. Please pay for your tickets on-line by bank transfer to Yorkshire Gardens Trust, Reference ‘Surname’ Events, Sort Code 05-09-94, Account No 25555237, or you can send a cheque to Lynn Watkinson, 5 Belle Vue Terrace, Bellerby, Leyburn DL8 5QL. Tickets will be sent to you by email.

If you are unable to buy tickets on-line, please can you either ask a friend or relative who has access to the internet to buy the tickets for you either using Eventbrite or using the booking form as above. Payment can be made by bank transfer to Yorkshire Gardens Trust, Reference Events, Sort Code 05-09-94 Account No 25555237, or you can send a cheque to Lynn Watkinson, 5 Belle Vue Terrace, Bellerby, Leyburn DL8 5QL. Tickets will be sent to you by email.

Otherwise please post the booking form with your selection of events, a self-addressed envelope and a cheque made out to Yorkshire Gardens Trust to Lynn Watkinson, 5 Belle Vue Terrace, Bellerby, Leyburn DL8 5QL.