A walk in the gardens 15th March2006

  Despite the recent cold weather there is plenty of colour in the garden now. Lots of Camellias and several different Rhododendrons are flowering in various parts of the garden. But first we found a Euphorbia in the North walled garden which interested me.
On Spring Bank on the right of the path leading to the viewpoint Rhododendron ciliatum is flowering.
Walk on from Spring Bank through to the George Taylor Garden where Atherosperma moschatum is in bloom.  

You need to get down and look up at the flowers to appreciate them properly. It isn’t meant to flower at this time. It is supposed to flower in summer time! Several Rhododendron R.W. Rye plants (yellow flowers) are in flower further on along the back road and another plant flowering out of season is a mauve Olearia.
The creamy white bell-like flowers of Pieris taiwanensis are brightening up the Malcolm Allan garden.
The south drive has several different camellias flowering now. This one is Golden Spangles and has a variegated leaf.
On the Green Drive Rh. Portia is full of red flowers and further down the garden some of the large leaved Rhododendrons are coming into flower, including Rh.macabeanum and Rh. Grande. Near the bottom end of the green drive is this Hellebore.
Finally in the ash garden is one of the earliest flowering Rhododendrons. Bric-a-Brac with its white flowers is often caught by the frost but most of the flowers have survived this year.