The Iris Garden is not to be missed

The Iris Garden is not to be missed for the informal setting and the Japanese Iris’s and other moisture loving plants. Look out for the various damsel and dragonflies that skip over the water.

Yard Wood - Look out for Rhododendron ‘Romany Chal’  close to the Rock Garden and Mexican Lily (Beschorneria yuccoides)  native to Mexico and in full flower  in the Rock Garden. The Mt Etna Broom (Genista aetenensis) will soon be in full flower. This is one of the best summer flowering trees.

Flowering by the Iris Garden and at Top Pond is the magnificent Tulip Tree (Liriodendron tulipifera). Notice the unusual leaves. In autumn the foliage turns buttery yellow.

By Lovers Lane Cross Roads & in Home Wood, the Asian Dogwoods  Cornus kousa are still in flower. The bracts fade from cream to pink as the flowers mature. Close by and on the opposite side is the large shrub of Silver bells (Styrax japonica) with pendulous white flowers.

The Herbaceous Border by the Five Arrows Gallery is coming into its own with Delphiniums, Peonies, Iris’s, Thalictrums and  Euphorbia’s all  looking very good.

The Common spotted-orchid (Dactylorhiza fuchsii) in Yard Wood by the slopes down to Jubilee Pond are flowering in greater number than usual.

I hope to meet many of you on my next Breakfast Walk, staged as part of the Hampshire Food Festival on Sat 11 & Sun 12 July – click here for more info:
http://www.exbury.co.uk/website/food_festival.aspx

Enjoy the Gardens.

John Anderson
Head Gardener