The Gardens

The gardens at Ordsall Hall have been designed to showcase garden elements popular throughout history and likely to have featured in the Hall’s history at some point in time.

We welcome you to come and enjoy our beautiful gardens and explore the herb garden, orchard, Tudor style knot garden and the public art.

Why not enjoy the gardens with a picnic, relax and enjoy the sun (when it’s shining!).

At Ordsall Hall, in addition to support and assistance animals, we also welcome well-behaved dogs on short leads in the grounds. All we ask is that you keep to the hard paths and stay off the grass. Fresh water, poop bags and the occasional treat are available from reception if required.

About our Gardens

The gardens feature a late Tudor style knot garden; a traditional 20th century allotment; Herb Garden with medieval and Tudor herbs alongside those grown today; ornamental borders containing flowers cherished by the Tudors; and an orchard of historic fruit varieties. There are also a number of stone artefacts on display challenging visitors to guess what they were.

The location of the original moat is outlined and features two wooden causeways accompanied by the artworks of ‘Swans’ and ‘Causeway Edge’ by John Kennedy. The Time Garden also features the artwork ‘Timeline’ by Lesley Fallais. Over by the allotment is ‘Horse’ by Angela Sidwell.

Learn more about the Public Art on display in our gardens →

In 2015 we recreated a WW1 allotment as part of the First World War centenary commemorations. On the allotment we grew varieties used during the war years 1914-1918, and once a month visitors were able to meet WW1 allotmenteers in costume who demonstrated wartime growing techniques. The allotment has been enlarged to provide space for a traditional allotment, a perennial fruit and asparagus bed, and a hop garden.