For The First Signs of Spring
February is the month for snowdrops. If you love spring flowers, why not book a few days leave, plan a road trip and have a whistle stop tour of some spectacular gardens? It’s a great time to visit – no crowds and heaving car parks, and the warmish weather has encouraged many plants to show their colours early. You’ll be covering a lot of ground, on foot and in your car, so ensure you have comfortable shoes, check your car insurance renewal is up to speed and head for these beautiful spaces, for a spot of early plant hunting. If you are member of the Royal Horticultural Society, it’s free entry too!
Hyde Hall – Chelmsford Essex
There is always something new going on at Hyde Hall – where you can enjoy year round colour and interest. Take at look at The Robinson Garden for specialist plants – or Clover Hill has natural planting, with great ribbons of snowdrops and crocus.
Wisely Gardens – Woking Surrey
Wisely covers a huge site, you’ll easily spend a day here and there is so much to experience, from the giant rock gardens, to the new lakeside planting schemes bamboo forests, bluebell woods, and giant magnolia trees. There are plenty of places to enjoy a break and, of course, if it’s really chilly, you can always visit the magnificent Greenhouses, which take you through a range of climates, from temperate to hot, dry desert. Wisely has an excellent library and resource centre and regularly holds specialist lectures, art exhibitions and local events, so you could find yourself being spoilt for choice here.
Rosemoor - North Devon
Rosemoor Garden covers about 26 acres in all – and has a wonderful woodland area, with thousands of spring bulbs and primroses. The scent is heavenly! Although significantly smaller than it’s sister garden (Wisley) it is very well laid out, and the surrounding countryside is great too – you could stop off for a trip on Exmoor National Park, or head out for the beaches of Saunton Sands or Woolacoombe, both well known surfing spots.
Caerhays Castle – St Austell Cornwall
Caerhays is stunning – with open, airy gardens, with a castle, complete with circular turret. The surrounding woodland was the work of J C Williams, a keen gardener who funded plant hunting trips to China in 19th century. Springtime sees the gardens smothered in spring bulbs, and there is a National Plant Collection of Magnolias to view – and of course, Cornish Cream Teas are on, offer should you start to flag.
Members of the RHS can visit from Gardens from 13th February until June.
You could test your stamina and do all four gardens in five days, or better still, pick a couple to visit and take a leisurely look at the countryside as you drive along the way – you’ve got the rest of the year to pick up speed!
