September: Bluebells take the baton from the grape hyacinths in the meadows, their haze of mid blue interspersed with hosts of daffodils. Maples leaf out in clouds of brilliant colour and the early hybrid rhododendrons announce themselves with bugle calls of blossom.
October: Japanese tree peonies present their sumptuous blooms while lilacs flower in the shrub walk. Soft coppery pink leaves clothe the beech trees, the spring sunshine breaking through their part translucent foliage to the massed bluebells below. Rhododendrons continue with their hue and cry and during this month we open our spring garden art exhibition.
November: The Melbourne Cup weekend is generally the best time to enjoy the flowering of our lutea hybrid tree peony collection; these produce sculptured bowls of lemon and ochre, yellow and apricot, wine and flame crimson. The late flowering rhododendrons are perhaps the most spectacular. These announce themselves like dowager princesses last to the ball while little scotch briar roses cover themselves with tiny soft blooms.
|
