Sprung?

Damp, coldness and strong winds have replaced the mild, summery conditions we were recently experiencing. Misery! If you’d care to join me I’m pouring a glass of the stuff that warms and inebriates, and delving into some images from those happier times just a matter of days ago!

View to the manor through the Old Garden gate, with the white Hellebores posted recently

The dramatic and staggeringly beautiful combination of foliage and flower from Geranium maderense. This is unfortunately the last-hoorah, as this plant dies after flowering

The Rose Walk is clearly visible from the Plant House at this time of year, but later on the view will be masked by an abundance of flowers and foliage

One of my favourites; Fritillaria imperialis!

Down on the Acid Border, the delicate Heloniopsis yakushimense, a recent purchase from Edrom Nursery

James cutting a Yew hedge amongst the Narcissus on the Theatre Lawn bandstand. This was the penultimate day of hedge cutting, of a season that started in August! There are around four and a half miles of hedging to trim each year, all of which is done by hand and eye. Electric hedge trimmers are used and the occasional long-handled ‘petrols’ for those awkward to reach corners, with orange boxes, scaffolding and the cherry pickers taking us up to those taller hedges

Fritillaria meleagris var. unicolor subvar. alba, the white Snakeshead Fritillary!

I was charged with piecing together a spring scheme for the containers in the Gardener’s Yard, this is Tulipa ‘Sweetheart’ that starts the display

In East Court, the formal parterres of Euonymus combine well with the Hyacinth ‘City of Harlem’

Up on the Rock Bank the legume blooms of Caragana brevispina

The Euphorbia longifolia ‘Amjilassa’ flowering in Mrs Winthrop’s Garden seems to attract a strange cast of misfits. Here now a wasp tucking in! Yet to see a honeybee or Bombus harvesting these blooms

Down by the stream the Marsh Marigold, Caltha palustris, and seen behind the yellow hands of the Skunk Cabbage, Lysichiton americanus. Two damp loving plants that will be grateful for the rain!

The hurly burly of the Bathing Pool!