What to look out for  in the garden on your visit:

Along the Main Drive towards the Main House by the side of the Iris Garden is a superb flowering Tulip Tree (Liriodendron tulipifera). A native to North America. Other specimens can be seen close to Top Pond in Home Wood.

The Iris Garden has some very interesting informal plantings of Iris’s, Ligularia’s and Hosta’s. This is also a very good wildlife especially for dragon and damsel flies.

The Main Path  and The Glade area in Home Wood has some very interesting Rhododendrons in flower including Rhododendron ‘ Isabella’ with large scented white flowers. Some of the best of the reds are seen in these areas and include Rhododendron ‘Inchmery’, Rh. ‘Jutland’ Rh. ‘Grenadier’ and Rh. ‘Intrepid’.  All are old Exbury hybrids raised by Lionel de Rothschild.

It’s always worth a look at the spectacular and amazing Wiggly tree (Platanus orientalis) with its huge trunk and sprawling branches. Planted circa 1730 around the same time as  the enormous Lebanon Cedar (Cedrus libani) in the Home Wood Glade.

Close to Top Pond are a number of very good flowering “Dogwoods” especially Cornus kousa ‘Venus’ with pure white flowers which turn pinkish as they fade. Cornus kousa ‘Satomi’ with pinkish flowers and Cornus kousa ‘Kenwyn Clapp’ with starry cream flowers are also located in this area. 

The edge of the  deciduous Azalea beds are planted  with Asiatic Primula’s including Primula beesianum and Primula pulverulenta at the middle and lower ponds.

The Herbaceous Border is full of interesting perennials including  Delphiniums, Peonies, Hesperis, Hemerocallis, Cardoon’s (Cynara cardunculus)  Iris’s, and Leptospermum scoparium ‘Chapmanii’ with masses of crimson flowers. A shrub native to New Zealand.

In Yard Wood the tallest tree in the garden The American Grand Fir (Abies grandis) at 40m high can be seen in the American Garden  along with one of the prettiest flowering shrubs the Calico bush (Kalmia latifolia.)

The wildflower meadows are coming into their own with the native common spotted orchid (Dactylorhiza fuchsii) in full flower.

John Anderson, 
Head Gardener.