The winter so far has been so warm that plants are in flower that should not appear for several weeks yet. A few daffodils have bloomed under the Caucasian Wing-Nut tree and in the West Meadow, although strangely not all that many snowdrops anywhere – although they can shoot up seemingly at a day's notice. The Persian Ironwood Tree was showing a few crimson flowers that usually appear in February or March.
We have been busy getting the reserve up to scratch for the spring open weekends and hope we will see you then. Of course the way the weather is it might be snowing by that time! We still find it difficult at times agreeing whether to show the historic garden features or to concentrate on the nature reserve aspects. At the end of the old boating lake, for instance, was Ellen Willmott's bog garden. Although it is higher than the lake bed it does flood from time to time and shows islands that were within it, whereas the lake never does contain water even in the heaviest rain. We have cut down some trees to show it as it was, albeit without the flowers that once grew there.
The hedge along the boundary with the north meadow is growing very well and soon should provide shelter for all sorts of wildlife. The silver birches planted near Post 6, by the bamboos, are doing well too. I am hoping that the Magnolia obovata seedling planted in the Walled Garden
When you visit it is easy to come in to the Walled Garden
