Historic arbour restored at York Gate Garden as Snowdrop event kicks off

The restoration of the historic arbour at York Gate Garden, Adel, near Leeds, has been completed in time to welcome visitors to the popular Snowdrop Days taking place at the garden this month.

The impressive structure, a defining feature of the Arts and Crafts fabric of the garden, was first built in the 1960s using local materials and traditional craftsmanship. It has now been restored following a successful fundraising campaign by the current garden owners, Perennial, which resulted in donations received from local community supporters as well as a generous donation from the Leeds City Council of £6,000 funded by the Outer North West Community Committee.

York Gate Garden Manager, Jack Ogg said: “The newly restored arbour is a fantastic addition to the pinetum which we hope visitors will enjoy as they pass through the much-loved garden rooms at York Gate. It has been wonderful to see a key part of the heritage of the garden restored for future generations and we are incredibly grateful to our supporters and the council for their kind donations.”

The arbour remains true to the original design having been made using oak dowels and locally sourced timber. It was constructed over five days by local contractors with expert craftsmanship.

This year marks 30 years since the York Gate Garden was entrusted to Perennial (the charity supporting everyone working in horticulture). The garden is open to the public for Snowdrop Days from Wednesday 12 – Sunday 16 February 2025, with members-only opening from Thursday 6 – Sunday 9 February (Friends of Perennial).