I’m lucky to have not one, but two gardens to visit near to me here in North Shropshire. Both are wonderful, but each has its own character. Wollerton is an intimate garden, on flat ground, with a series of small garden rooms. Hodnet, on the other hand, is more open, with landscaped grounds sloping down from the house to a series of man made lakes.
Hodnet has just opened up for the season (Wednesdays, Sundays, bank holidays and for NGS visits, as well as a few plant fairs). The weather was forecast to be good last Wednesday, and as both myself and Mrs PW are now officially retired (or ‘Jubilado’ to use the joyful Spanish word) we decided to visit. It seemed a little early, but having seen Magnolias blooming elsewhere, we were hoping some might also be out at Hodnet. We weren’t disappointed….
Hodnet has a ‘Magnolia walk, with a selection of varieties, including this pink one with blooms the size of a dinner plate…
There were plenty of camelias out, as well as some rhododendrons…
One of the garden features is a circular design with beds of peonys and roses set around a central statue. While we were there, the gardeners were busy piling copious amounts of mulch around shooting roses and the new peony shoots that were thrusting up through the ground…
Cherry trees were blossoming, making impressive highlights here and there…
Early flowering bulbs were everywhere too. The daffodils were coming o an end, but still looking great, in huge drifts…
Snakeshead fritillaries have been effectively naturalised in one area of grass…
Elsewhere, in grass shaded by trees, wood anemones are thriving…
And a honey bee was making the most of a little patch of aubretia that was in full bloom, trailing over a dry stone wall…
With so many plants bursting into life, and warm, sunny weather forecast for next week, it’s a bright and hopeful time of year. But don’t get too carried away just yet – there may be some frosty mornings to come before summer properly arrives.
