May 2026

by anne chambers

May is my most favourite month and this year has not disappointed. With rain limited the tree peonies have flowered for longer without being bashed by rain and the intersectional ones are now full out with the herbaceous peonies still to come.   We have planted quite a few intersectional over the past few years and they are proving to be magnificent.

Currently we are enduring a record-breaking heat wave so imagine everything will burst into flower earlier than usual this year.  The gladiolus byzantinus have spread throughout the garden and think we will have to thin some out as they are taking over!

Earlier in the month we pruned the clematis armandi that has wound its way around the little lower pond. We cut it really hard as it had got very messy and old.  It was kill or cure and luckily I noticed that it is already beginning to shoot again so hopefully will return in its full glory in a year or two.

We did a quick visit to friends on the west coast of Scotland and visited a beautiful garden outside Oban.  The rhododendrons and azaleas were at their best and luckily sunshine prevailed. A completely different style of gardening on their more acidic soil than we are used to and it did look    spectacular.

 Busy in the garden with Chelsea now over but imagine this Bank holiday will be hectic with the sunshine and warm weather.

April 2026

by anne chambers

Another glorious sunny day towards the end of the month, we have been blessed with a wonderful Spring with cold temperatures at night but warm in the day and no rain.  Everything has responded including the tree peonies which have flowered magnificently and not been spoilt by rain.

 The bluebells were also marvellous this year but now starting to go over, however the camassias are full out in the orchard . Every shade of green makes it a wonderful time of year.

In the lower garden the arbutus we bought from Pan Global many years ago is flowering and growing well, I remember seeing them in Ireland and was captivated by the flowers and splendour of these large shrubs, small trees.

 We had a fascinating trip to southern Spain with the IDS in early April, visiting Alhambra which was looking stunning but sadly very crowded, a perfect time of year to be there with the wisteria, banksiae rose and judas trees all flowering. 

 Abies pinsapo, a species only found in southern Spain was another highlight of the visit involving a good climb into the mountains to get a good view of them. We also visited Seville, Ronda and Jerez so altogether a memorable trip.

Now nearly May with extended opening and visitors from abroad booked in to visit around the Chelsea flower show which is only three weeks away.

March 2026

by anne chambers

We open in a couple of days so last minute preparations are under way with plants labelled and in place and the tearoom and shop ready to welcome our visitors.

It has been a good March with sunshine and showers and the daffodils have flowered better than ever even after last summer’s hot temperatures, indeed not so many blind ones this year despite the drought.

The pink staphylea is also looking wonderful; it comes out before the white variety which is more common and is a sight to behold.  The magnolias have also been spectacular with no frost but quite a few already over.

 Hellebores are still flowering although the mice and muntjac have nipped off quite a few of the flowers. This beautiful double flower from  Ashwood nursery is so beautiful but tends to modestly hang its head rather low.

Easter is next weekend so hoping the weather stays fair and people are able to get out and enjoy the countryside and all the beauty of this time of year.

February 2026

by anne chambers

Rain and more rain, one of the wettest and mildest winters on record.  However, the days are getting longer and early  flowers blooming as a result.  The daffodils are now out, snowdrops over and shrubs bursting into life.

We had a wonderful holiday in Sri Lanka, hot and humid with quite a bit of rain.  Everything is so green and verdant, fascinating wildlife, plants and birds.  We found this amazing senecio type plant growing in the sand on the coast, lovely flowers and leathery tough leaves, extraordinary it survives and flourishes. 

Also stunning orchids planted in coconuts in the hotel garden.

Whilst in Sri Lanka we saw masses of tea and cinnamon plantations.  The

tea bushes were in flower and very similar to the only camellia we can grow

here, camellia cuspidata, which is also flowering now, tiny white flowers

with glossy dark green leaves.

Arriving home to the hellebores and cornus mass but we have got a serious deer problem with muntjac eating the tops of the emerging tulips and the new shoots on the roses.  There are far too many and even the Government is realizing something has got to be done to control numbers.

 Opening in a months time so lots of last minute jobs to do but looking forward to welcoming our visitors again.