We are seeing the first signs of spring here at Houghton Lodge Gardens.
Snowdrops are springing up en masse all over the gardens and in places we’ve not seen them in the past which is a lovely bonus. It is almost that the snowdrops give the bugle call to the rest of the garden stating that “winter is nearly over – it is time to wake up!!”
The crocus gracing the terracotta pots to the front of the house and terraces are now in flower, as are the thousand or so that were planted in the bank overlooking the river and lawn next to the house. Those in the pots will in time give way to the narcissus and tulips that are planted below them ‘lasagne style’.
Winter aconites planted under the trees on the drive from the main gate together with the snowdrops, are a glorious yellow and precursor to the bluebells, scilla, daffodils and crocus which will soon line either side of the drive and frame the view of the house.
As we welcome these early signs of spring, we are also reflecting on the progress and work that we have undertaken as the gardening team at Houghton Lodge Gardens, during the closed season – it certainly hasn’t been quiet.
From closing the doors, we have been busy planting approximately 8000 bulbs. Some adding to existing plantings for example the 1000 Camassia leichtlinii Caerulea in the parkland, 1000 bluebells Hyacinthoides non scripta within the Serpentine Walk and 500 Star of Bethlehem ornithogalum nutans in the Wedding Border. The new areas include surrounding the trees in the parkland at the entrance of the gardens. Here we have planted autumn flowering crocus Sternbergia lutea and spring flowering Iris ‘reticulata alida’, Iris ‘bucharica’, Iris ‘histrioides’ ‘Sheila Ann’ together with Scilla sibirica. We will let you discover the other varieties of flowering bulbs planted elsewhere when you visit!
We have also been busy applying mulch to our borders, winter pruning our kiwis, vines, apple trees, pears, roses and wisterias. Together with other structural tasks such as replacing support wires for climbing plants, renewing some of the path edges and always ALWAYS plotting and planning!
Within the walled garden the Iris beds, which were newly created during the closed season of 2019 – 2020, have now been replanted with their full complement of bearded Iris, with varieties ranging from mini dwarf, dwarf, intermediate and tall, all providing a wide period of flowering. The perennials that filled in and played substitute during the last season have been replaced and we look forward with anticipation and excitement to see how the new planting will look.
Summer snowflakes Leucojum aestivum have been planted in the Hosta Bed to provide some late spring highlights before the Hostas are fully developed.
We have also created a new Scented Bed in the smallest of the old vegetable beds, with three of the most scented roses we could find- Docteur Jamain, Reine des Violettes and Madame Isaac Periere, underplanted with Lily of the Valley and Viola Odorata Konigin Charlotte.
Within the Wedding Border Valerian Centranthus ruber albus interspersed with Narcissus ‘Segovia.’ have been planted in three areas.
Tree peonies and herbaceous peonies have been added to the Long Border, Well Border and Veranda Border. These new varieties include P. Lactiflora Shirley Temple, P. Alertie, P. Karl Rosenfeldt, P Suffruticosa Hakuo Jishi, P. Yachiyot Subaki, P. Coral Supreme & P. Cytherea.
For those of you who have visited our Serpentine Walk before, we have added Liriope muscari monroe white, Epimedium, Hellebores, Euphorbia amygdaloides var. robbiae, Ferns – Dryopteris felix mas and Polystichum setiferum throughout, and are starting even now to make their presence felt, in areas that were before rather bare and bland when the deciduous trees came into leaf, but will now continue to develop and mature over time to provide form and structure. We have also planted a 7’ tree fern Dicksonia antarctica cunningly placed to surprise! The existing snowdrops, bluebells, Cyclamen hederifolium and Hellebores are starting to show in this area, developing into an area to explore, and from the elevated position admire the sublime view over the river and water meadows beyond.
We look forward to that special lime green colour of the new young unfurling leaves, warmer weather, sunshine, and all the varieties of flower and colour that will soon be with us.
We hope you will be able to share all that the gardens have to offer this coming season when you visit us again.
HLG Gardening Team
