RHS Bridgewater or Brodsworth Hall?

The 156 acre Worsley New Hall estate was opened to the public as RHS Bridgewater in May 2021 and we visited it yesterday on the last day of March for the third time. Today we met up with friends at nearby Brodsworth House. There was a contrast in the amount of colour on show.

Looking towards the front entrance of the restaurant, shop and garden centre of Bridgewater, the rather excellent shaped yew trees in the foreground

The sculptural shape and layout of the high profile RHS gardens with the Weston Walled Gardens, Paradise Garden, Chinese Streamside Garden, woodside walks and meadows have rightly been lauded as a major national initiative. True enough but we were a tad disappointed.

The Paradise Garden

Chinese Streamside Garden

At last. Daffodils.

Stunning colour. I forgot to note the tree’s name ..

Magnolia stellata – one of the more established shrubs in the new gardens

Plenty of space for planting …

Spring is my favourite time of year in the garden but there was a general lack of colour. Indeed there was none at all as you enter from the shop, albeit some late narcissus varieties were in bud. Perhaps the rounded yew trees are deemed sufficient. Of course, lots of perennials were pushing up shoots through wonderful compost but the price of admission for non-RHS members is high and other gardens (RHS Harlow Carr for example) realise there has to be something for all seasons. The explanation that the gardens are still in their infancy won’t wash as planting bulbs offer a very quick turnaround.

Brodsworth Hall of course was opened to the public by English Heritage in 1995 and in recent years there has been huge and inspired work on the gardens. The formal plantings are always showy but the grassed areas are also a delight.

Naturalised bulbs with the sping bedding behind

The house is shown off to best advantage by the gardens

Under the laburnum arch

Muscari in the rockery

The fern dell

And the most vivid explosion of colour from the cyclamen

Clumber Park: Blue Cedar Avenue and other attractions….

Three years ago the gardeners at our nearby National Trust parkland at Clumber Park planted literally thousands of bulbs. They are maturing nicely and as the season progresses the grass will be very crowded with different varieties. Not that they will be better than the blues of Scilla lucilae, more commonly known as ‘glory of the snow’.

Scilla lucilae

Nectarine ‘Pineapple’

One of the rare fruit trees featured here and it’s a peach. Well actually a nectarine – the variety ‘Pineapple’ grown in Clumber’s stunning and huge orangery in the espalier style. There were a few varieties though this was my favourite.

So a few more of my highlights from today which I’m delighted to say was sunny and mild after our short lived second winter.

A genuinely classy display and a tribute to the volunteers who offer so much.

Close-up of the muscari. So many colours and shades these years

Crocus ‘Snowbunting’

And one from last year

Rather more fancy Auriculas will be displayed here later in the year and in the meantime..

Narcissus ‘Falconet’, a Tazetta variety, sweet smelling and recipient of RHA Award of Garden Merit. Widely available and on my list for 2024.

The books provided a bit of style

The scent was delectable

Suddenly the garden turns hellebore…

There comes a time in the garden when the white turns to yellow and, as in this case, purple. The hellebores open out and two beautiful specimens above are below. The first is label-less though I’ll dig into the undergrowth to discover a plant label I’m convinced was there prior to the autumn clean-up. The second, captured rather wonderfully with my common or garden cell phone, is identifiable. Three more seedlings follow: a seedling of the named variety ‘Harvington Double White’, rather nice last year, puny this. The second, another seedling, is ivory but rather attractive. Finally a picote form, a seedling from the Harvington single picotee, and a semi double at that. It’s particularly bright. I have two compost bins ready for emptying. All plants thrive on well composted garden waste. So that’s for the weekend

Helleborus ‘Ice n’Roses Rose’

Seedling

Seedling

Harvington picotee – seedling from ..

Doddington Hall: Light on a Dark Day

Doddington Hall, near Lincoln

Cornelian Cherry

Doddington Hall and Gardens, one of our favourite excursions. We normally visit nearby properties and gardens when the sun shines. Not so this morning. It was cold and mostly dark with a little frisson of excitement as the promised unseasonal snowstorm manifested itself earlier than threatened, shown here in the hail and sleet that slants across the image above. But this is not the place to bemoan one’s luck or dwell on the negatives. There was light and colour aplenty in these blessed gardens. So here are some of my highlights and should you be interested in more professional photos do take a look at Carole Drake’s stab at capturing Doddington in late winter, early Spring. Alternatively you might want to question my stab at plant names. That Cornelian Cherry might well not be a Cornelian Cherry though it was very nice.

Hamamelis ‘Orange Beauty’

The famous Doddington ancient sweet chestnut trees (Castanea sativa) surrounded by early flowering wild narcissii (Narcissus pseudonarcissus)

Said tree in close-up

Early Rhododendron

Gorgeous view with remnants of Crocus tommasinianus and narcissii; in the distance the pyramid shaped folly circa 2014!

Hellebores in profusion

Andrea and Jan by the meadows

And Colin blocking the view

Hoop narcissus

The common primrose, Primula vulgaris

Cyclamen coum

Erica carnea ‘Springwood White’

Rhododendron with house in background

Purple euphorbia

The stars of the show

Trumps You Win A Gold Medal

There are a few snowdrops that truly stand out and the happily now more widely available ‘Trumps’ is one. These little fellas were by the compost bins and are somewhat later than their chums. There are those who always seek the unusual and therefore more expensive varieties. Matt Bishop discovered ‘Trumps’ in 1999 and it retails at about £20, an investment that will pay dividends because you could literally double your money in twelve months. It’s robust and catches the eye beautifully. Gardeners are allowed favourites, you know.

Galanthus ‘Trumps’

I only have one example of Anne Wright’s Dryad snowdrops as they are a tad pricey even now. Again, ‘Dryad Gold Medal’ is a good investment as it increases quickly. Indeed I’ve already given a couple away as gifts. It has a rich colour as is shown here a week ago on a dull day. Another lovely snowdrop and investment. Which reminds me of a visit we made last winter to a rather stately North Yorkshire garden full of the most unusual snowdrop varieties. The owner swore me to secrecy about the cost of her latest acquisitions. ‘If my husband ever finds out ….’

Galanthus ‘Dryad Gold Medal’

Galanthus ‘Spindlestone Surprise’

Another prolific yellow is ‘Spindlestone Surprise’ a diminutive gem that lights up the winter border, or it did last week when I took the photograph. Whilst not as large as the Dryan cultivar above it is less damaging to your wealth. I was dividing up both varieties yesterday for my fledgling yellow border.

Galanthus ‘Prague Spring’, Frosted Camellia

Last year I finished moving all my treasured snowdrops from pots to the borders with generally pleasing results. Having been away for much of January and February I missed many of the earlier flowering snowdrops so popping out with my camera into the brilliant if cold sunlight I chanced upon this lovely, subtle group of ‘Prague Spring’. There are dangers with weeding and digging when prized bulbs are hidden beneath the soil so it is gratifying to see the survivors. Snowdrops are generally hardy souls. I’ve found drought and narcissus fly to be greater threats than my garden fork.

‘Galanthus ‘Prague Spring’

Speaking of pests, frost is the worst. On Sunday I was admiring our white camellia that has come on in leaps and bounds since I took out the rampant holly tree in the dark corner of the front garden. Naturally I had intended to take a photograph…. Those good intentions! What a difference a day makes. Still, it remains a beauty just somewhat singed at the edges. Like me, without the beauty.

Our Woolworths’ two bob Camellia

Galanthus ‘Golden Fleece’ in three years

Galanthus ‘Golden Fleece’

Galanthus ‘Louella’

I was given a tiny offshoot of this prized snowdrop in 2020 and it’s time to take stock. So seven flowers and they’ve just gone over. I’ve divided up the bottom plant here to reveal three decent bulbs that will grace another part of the garden. It’s interesting to see how things move on in the world of snowdrops. The latest cultivar ‘Louella’, shown here from its current Ebay listing is a cross between ‘Ecusson d’Or’ and ‘Golden Fleece’ and looks extraordinary similar if a rather paler yellow than its parent above and I trust is more vigorous than ‘Ecusson d’Or’. Anyway it’s advertised at £200 which should make someone a little richer because quite a number have been sold.

Narcissus ‘Creag Dubh’ and ‘River Queen’ – showy, large cupped and class

Narcissus ‘Creag Dubh’

The Worcestershire hybridiser John S.B. Lea registered this tall and vibrant daffodil in 1997, named after a favourite fishing lake in Scotland. If you require a glistening splash of colour you’ll not find a finer bulb.

Narcissus ‘River Queen’

The temptation is that newer is best. Of course, sometimes it takes a few years to cement certainty. So I’m pretty sure ‘River Queen’ is an exemplary white. Introduced in 1977 by the American hybridiser William Pannill who registered no less than 2010 varieties during his life. He died in 2014 and his orbituary is testament to a great life. As to the bulb, I bought three last year and have six today so it is vigorous and stands proudly.

Narcissus ‘Brooke Ager’

A former American Daffodil Society President, Jaydee Ager named this jewel of a daffodil after his daughter,Brooke, who died tragically young. It was registered in 1997. ‘Brooke Ager’ has been awarded the AGM and of the many narcissus varieties we have in the garden this has the most red corolla, startlingly so in fact. In division 2, large cupped, it is smaller than the previous two but just as lovely.

We have many varieties in flower at the moment and of the larger ones, these three are delights.

Back to Harlow Carr at last! Rhododendrons and Erythroniums

Lockdown eased today to allow us to travel within a reasonable distance. This brought RHS Harlow Carr Gardens in Harrogate into contention. The rhododendrons were so stunning.

I could not discover a label on this huge specimen.

And the most jaw dropping crimson blossom.

Rhododendron barbatum

Rhododendron oreodoxa var. fargesii 

Erythroniums were everywhere, from borders to underneath the trees. They were not always named but here is a selection.

Birthday plant

A big birthday tomorrow and to prepare for it here’s a really small plant blown up by the magic lens. Fritillaria michailovskyi is a Turkish bulb I acquired last year with a number of other unusual varieties I’m looking forward to seeing bloom. This is the first to flower and we all need something beautiful for big birthdays, don’t we. I actually take a lot of trouble with the photographs for the blog, today lying down in mud for the perfect shot of a rare erythronium, a current obsession. Sadly all the muddy trousers in the world won’t make a duff plant with slug damaged petals look good. Luckily there are buds to open yet. For now admire this purple pendant with its yellow curved frills. Although I say it myself, a lovely photograph. Gardening certainly, photography too. All the fun of My Galanthus Garden blog. And with the restrictions on travel shortly to be lifted, we plan to visit some gorgeous gardens in the next few weeks. All to share ….

Fritillaria michailovskyi