Visiting Cumbria

[Chris Johnson]

We are having a few days in Cumbria next week and have already arranged a visit to Hartside Nursery.

Does anyone know of any gardens open in the county for Spring displays, especially snowdrops?

Thanks, Chris

[Darren]

The Lakeland Horticultural society garden at Holehird is well worth a visit. There is a huge Daphne bholua near the gate which will be in flower I imagine.

[Chris Johnson]

Thanks Darren, that is within range. I note Brockhole is also nearby, so may call in there if time allows.

[Carolyn]

There is also a National collection holder for Galanthus in Carlisle. I was chatting to the Threave horticulture students today - they have just been to visit and loved it. I note that visits are by appointment and for groups - there are 6 Threave students. Maybe two counts as a group?!

[Chris Johnson]

Thanks Carolyn, that is helpful.

Neil Huntley also put me on to them plus Hornby Castle gardens in Lancashire which is open that weekend. I only have time left to do one of them so opted for the latter. We much prefer to see plants in a garden setting rather than a collection.

We will bear the collection in mind for a future visit.

[Darren]

If you are nearby on Thursday Chris it is our local group meeting in Lancaster in the evening and Alan Oatway, one of our members, Kendal show secretary and one of the Holehird team is our lecturer. Tommy Anderson had some interesting snowdrops for sale last month too...

You would be very welcome to join us for the evening.

Incidentally, close to junction 36 on the M6 is Sizergh castle. A nice National Trust garden but we can't remember if there is much in the way of snowdrops. However, it would be easy to combine this with Hornby castle in the same day.

[Chris Johnson]

Thanks for that Darren but, alas, I have something else organised for the Thursday.

I'll check out Sizergh Castle as it's so close. Snowdrops are the 'spectacle' at this time of year but I'm interested in anything that is flowering now.

[Chris Johnson]

It was a most enjoyable trip. Driving through the Borders, Northumberland, Cumbria and into Lancashire, the natural drifts of snowdrops were the best I can ever remember, all in perfect condition.

We visited Hornby Castle Gardens on Saturday which was a pleasant walk with many snowdrops and winter aconites out. Bit early for other things. We exercised remarkable constraint at the sales table.

Sunday started bright as we headed for Holehird Gardens. The traffic round Windermere at 10.00 was daunting (what's it like in the summer?), but as soon as we turned off towards the gardens, calm was restored. As we got out of the car we were overwhelmed by the fragrance of Daphne bholua, long before we saw it - what a magnificent specimen. Again, a little early for many plants but an enjoyable walk round the various garden 'compartments'. Some time was spent in the greenhouse with the plunge-beds and even longer in the old greenhouse with the cast iron roof trusses, cast in Beeston, Nottinghamshire, I know not when as I could find a date. Something of a dungeon with just a glazed roof, housing a lovely collection of plants, many in flower, grown in and around tufa. My wants list has grown substantially!

We tried to locate Brockhole but it seems to have been subsumed into a tourist extravaganza, so we moved on. We ended up at Holker Hall & Gardens, via a cream tea in Hawkshead (as you do). A pleasure to walk around with a hint of what is to come with the first rhododendrons, camellias and magnolias just showing.

My thanks to Darren and Neil for their helpful suggestions. Sorry there are no pictures on this trip as my replacement camera didn't arrive in time.

[Darren]

Really pleased you had such a good visit Chris.

Holehird is really a gem. That Daphne amazes us every time we visit and I'm envious of their tufa house.

As for what Windermere is like in summer? Well - just be thankful you went in February....