Our Head Gardener points out what to look out for during April…

So far, spring has graced us with pleasant weather, and the warm temperatures and sunny skies have been perfect conditions to produce a stunning display of Japanese Flowering Cherry blossom which will continue to flourish into early May.

There is an amazing display of Japanese cherries along the boardwalk leading up to our top car park; white flowers of the classic Prunus ‘Tai-haku’ – the great white cherry – and soft pink semi-double flowers of Prunus ‘Horinji,’ to name but a few in this area. There are also large group plantings near the Anne Frank Horse Chestnut and near the lake situated in Seven Leys. Another remarkable sight is Prunus incisa ‘The Bride’ with stunning light pink/white flowers, which can be found to the front of the Japanese Rest House.

Magnolia flowering season is well underway with an incredible variation of white, pink, and purple flowers. Notable varieties to look for include Magnolia campbellii ‘Darjeeling’ with its deep pink flowers located just below ‘Sisters Pool’, as well as Magnolia ‘Star Wars’ and Magnolia ‘Treve Holman’, both displaying lovely shades of pink along the main drive.

There are still excellent displays of daffodils, hellebores, primroses, and cowslips slowly starting to make an appearance.

There are also excellent displays of flowering shrubs: Berberis valdiviana with gently scented yellow flowers; Viburnum x carlcephalum with sweetly scented flowers; along with the yellow flowers of Genista porlock.

Fritillaria meleagris – with white and maroon-red flowers – can be found dotted through grass areas, whilst Fritillaria imperialis (Crown imperial) – with stems up to one metre in height and pendent, bell-shaped red flowers – can be found along ‘Her Ladyships Walk,’ the entrance path into the arboretum.

Paulownia fortunei ‘Fast Blue’ – known as the ‘Fox Glove tree’ because of the beautiful lightly scented lilac-blue flowers shaped like the foxglove flower – can also be found along ‘Her Ladyships Walk.’

The vibrant yellow flowers of Skunk Cabbage and Marsh Marigolds will come into flower around Rockery Bridge and in the swamp.

Japanese and species maples are coming into leaf which adds a fresh vibrancy and colour. Emerging leaf colours can be yellow, orange, red and salmon pink.

 

It is also worth looking out for the impressive displays of Wild Garlic with sporadic displays of Bluebells in Church Piece between mid-April and May.