Rose garden, Rhododendrons, Malvern, Worcestershire.

Formal Bed

White rhodedendron detail

 The daffodil have faded and the roses in the rose garden are a long way away from flowering.

Red Rhodedendron

There is still a lot to see though. The formal spring bed full of primrose varieities and tulips is a delight. The rhodedendrons though are what I came to see. Only a few of the bushes are in flower, the rest will follow over the next few weeks. Already though there is white, lilac, cream, cerise and scarlet examples to see. 

Cerise rhodedendron

Lilac rhodedendron

Aprils garden, beautiful things

Primrose

 April may have been cold, and flowers have suffered. Many which should be in full bloom are only just opening. There are however bright gems and jewels dotted around my garden, who's beauty illuminates the eyes and soul. 

A white, albino frittillery

The first tulip

Dotted about in my lawn are several types of naturalised bulb. The snowdrops are now a distant memory, but frittillery bloom in their place. Most of the frittillery are the snakes head variety, highly prized for the checker pattern of deep aubergine and paler purple. Some however are albino, and 
completely white. Whatever their colour they hang like curious anglepoise lantern.

Turks head lillies

Both the hyacinth and the smaller grape hyacinth are in their prime. The smaller grape variety form small clumps around the lawn. Both have a heavenly aroma.

Checker patterned Snakeshead Frittillery

The earliest of the tulip have opened. Less decorative than those that follow, they are closer 
to the original tulip cultivates.

Primrose, common easy to grow and with such a long flowering season are still performing beautifully, either the traditional yellow or the more modern purple, blues and reds.

Hellebore

Hellebore's, the Christmas Lanterns should really have all but disappeared by now, but maybe it is the unseasonably cool weather that has spurred them on to flower again.

The first blossom on the Victoria plum tree

 Just coming into season the fragile

Fat blossom buds on the greengage

 looking Turks head lily. These blooms are a reliable joy. They came free with an order about four years ago, and I was loathe to give them space. Every spring when they light up the little corner they were grudging planted in they bring me joy and do not deserve.

The trees are finally beginning to bloom. The pale beauty of the first blossom on the Victoria plum

Grape hyacinth

 are open, and the buds that bear the greengage and
 cherry blossoms are fat and round and expectant.
 I am hoping that this late start to the blossom
 season will mean the blossom will be safe from a
 late frost and that the harvest this year will be
 plentiful.

Queenswood Arboretum, Herefordshire

Award won in 1981

Pale pink cherry "accolade" and deeper pink "kursar"

Fragrant winter Hazel, "Corylopsis glabrescens"

 Queenswood arboretum is easy to find on the A49 between Hereford and Leominster, (HR4 0PY). An award winning arboretum, it is free to visit.

Some signs of spring are beginning to show them selves. The few cherries and hazels are already in blossom and looking delightful.

There are primroses dotted around the woodland floor all over the place. A little more difficult to spot, and less numerous, but incredibly beautiful and fragile looking and exquisite are the wood anemone.

For children there is a play area, and the telescope at the viewpoint. There are also large wooden sculpture to spot dotted around the place. There are a number of bears. and when you find the mummy bear in amongst the redwoods look up to find her young cub. The raccoons are delightful, but my favourite is the native dormouse.

A great place to let the children run wild, and if you are a dog owner, they too are welcome visitors. There are also many picnic tables, and an area set aside for barbecues.

Wood anemone

Primrose

Mummy bear guarding babies tree

Two raccoons

Dormouse and her berries

Signs of Spring

 Primroses

 Forsythia, (named after Bruce Forsythes great-grandfather)

Seed cases

Today, to make up for sleeping through most of yesterday, and in thanks that at last I seem to finally be a bit better, I have taken photos of some of the early flowering signs of spring. Hope you enjoy.


Heather