Spring into Summer
Spring into Summer
The gardens are looking fantastic as plants come into growth, foliage and flower. Always something to enjoy whether you are a gardener or not, and a visit any time from now on is likely to be inspirational. This week, despite an unfortunate ground frost which has singed the foliage of hostas and rodgersias, we have some of the flowering Cornus to look forward to. Already forming bracts which will flower for weeks is Cornus ‘Eddie’s White Wonder’ (as seen in the image above from May last year), soon to be followed by the spectacular large-flowered Cornus kousa ‘Venus’. In May we will also have the amazing Cornus kousa ‘Miss Satomi’ with pink flowers, which always adds a striking focal point.
The Devil is in the Detail
Adrian Bloom recently gave a talk at Ashdon Garden Club near Saffron Walden this week. The title of the talk was ‘The Devil is in the Detail – Inspirational Gardening’. As in his book Blooms Best Perennials and Grasses, Adrian drew attention to some of the best plants which will succeed in most gardens. Two outstanding plants featured – Hydrangea ‘Annabelle’, which has not been fully appreciated for the fact that it is a hydrangea that can be treated like a perennial, and cut to the ground in spring. See more about ‘Annabelle’ in our previous post here. All of the plants available at the event sold out, but Jason has more ready for dispatch from the nursery. The second plant, Galanthus ‘S Arnott’, a not-so-lowly snowdrop featured strongly on our pages is another special plant recommended by Adrian for winter interest. Now is the time to plant, and our nursery has plants available for dispatch immediately ready for planting, to make a show over the coming seasons. View more information on our nursery page here.
Good comments are always welcome, and visitors have an opportunity to write in our visitors book as they leave the ‘last’ garden of their tour, Foggy Bottom. Here – and elsewhere on the website – are some from visitors in early spring 2017:
‘Stunning place. This is an amazing garden, such a tranquil and peaceful place. Inspired us to dig beds in our lawns!’ April 2017
‘How did you envision all this? Quite spectacular! Love the unfurling ferns.’ Claire & Matt from York, April 2017
‘Peaceful garden has matured and been developed beautifully since I visited it 40 years or so ago.’ Richard from Cambridgeshire, April 2017