Every week the staff here at Exbury will be compiling their must-sees in the gardens, focusing on different areas or seasonal plants. We hope that you will be able to use this as a snappy guide when visiting and that our favourite viewpoints, blooms and garden features might become your favourites too.

Focus 14th June: Herbaceous Garden, Top Pond, Centenary Garden, late-flowering rhododendrons and Iris Garden

1. The start of summer flowering in the Herbaceous Garden

The Herbaceous Garden is coming to life! This summer garden is brimming with many different varieties of peony, all blooming at the moment. Other fantastic plants are also beginning to flower in our large herbaceous borders including flag irises, Knipfofia (red hot pokers) and foxgloves.

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2. A collection of interesting plants to take in at Top Pond 

There's lots to see around Top Pond at the moment, and that's beside the playful (and hungry) fish!

#1 Graceful white wisteria

First, there's the beautiful white wisterias around the edge of the pond itself. Their scent is absolutely delectable and they look so delicate by the side of the water.

#2 Magnificent Copper beech

An exquisite specimen of Copper beech (Fagus sylvatica 'purpurea') overhangs Top Pond, creating these absolutely stunning reflections in the water.

#3 Flowering dogwoods

A number of flowering dogwoods are blooming around Top Pond at the moment, varieties include the pink Cornus florida rubra and two Cornus kousa, the star-shaped one named 'Milky Way'.

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3. A feast for the senses in the Centenary Garden

It's always surprising to see the Centenary Garden spring to life from its humble start to the year to these beautiful scenes in June. Now in its third year open to the public, the Centenary Garden is quite the feast for the senses: There are ornamental grasses that sway with the wind, beautiful flowers with fantastic scents and architectural details to the symmetrical design that are just immediately satisfying. 

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4. Late-flowering rhododendrons

Some of our later-flowering rhododendrons are blooming beautifully at the moment, with white, red and pink varieties still emerging. With the recent warm weather, we do anticipate the rhododendrons not lasting too much longer, so visit now to see them this year!

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5. The tranquil Iris Garden

Our Iris Garden was revamped a couple of years ago and has really some into its own this year! We have a beautiful array of irises and Arum-lily's around the edge of a small pond, in a beautifully-situated shaded valley - these photographs really don't do this garden justice. Now is definitely a great time to schedule a break in this area on one of the oak benches, watching the dragonflies enjoying themselves.

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Would you like to experience the changing seasons at Exbury this year?

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