April and May at Easton Walled Gardens
April and May at Easton Walled Gardens
Getting into the Spring spirit at Easton
At Easton Walled Gardens, April and May are months of ever-changing beauty – spring quickly gathering pace, plants bursting into fresh growth, bare tree branches wreathed in foliage and blossom. It’s one of our favourite times of the year.
Many early flowers are reaching their peak. By the end of April, the white and blue spires of Camassia will be filling the Rose Meadows of the Walled Garden, while in the courtyard, pots and containers contain vibrant displays of tulips. Another spring delight to enjoy is our collection of auriculas, small plants with big personalities and incredibly detailed flowers. Grown in small pots, they are elegantly displayed in purpose-made ‘auricula theatres’ in the Cottage Garden and Pickery.
At the start of April, a range of ornamental cherries (including ever-popular Prunus incisa ‘Kojo-no-mai’) in the Cottage Garden are stars of the show with their profuse flowers. As these fade, crab apple Malus ‘Evereste’ in the White Space Garden takes over, white blossom opening from pink buds.
By the Woodland Walk, see the newly emerged palm-shaped leaves of horse chestnut Aesculus hippocastanum, which will soon be developing candles of white flowers. Near the Meadow Retreat we also have Aesculus x carnea (red horse chestnut). Other trees to look out for include wonderful black walnut Juglans nigra in the Woodland Walk, with its delicate new leaves, plus white-flowered Staphylea pinnata (bladdernut tree) in the boggy meadow near the river.
So whether it’s a general wander round to take in the atmosphere, scents and colours of the garden, or a stroll to enjoy specific plants, now is the perfect time to enjoy Easton Walled Gardens.
Five reasons to visit Easton Walled Gardens during April and May
1. Experience our fruit tree blossom
Few fragrances are more redolent of spring than the fresh, sweet scent of fruit tree blossom. We have many apples, pears and quince in the gardens – look out for the veteran espalier pear as you go into our Walled Garden, a survivor from the original gardens. The top half of the Walled Garden is planted as an orchard with meadow grass below and will be full of blossom, as well as the insect pollinators it attracts, throughout April and May.
2. Get closer to wildflowers
In addition to garden plants, the grounds of Easton Walled Gardens are home to an increasing number of wild and naturalised species. The limestone Terrace Meadows are filled with the flowers of golden Primula veris (cowslip) and soft yellow Primula vulgaris (primrose) for weeks in spring, only to be followed by dazzling purple orchids. While during the first half of April, our boggy meadow features the nodding heads of purple and white Fritillaria meleagris (snake’s head fritillary).
3. Wonder at our magnificent Wisteria
Late spring is the time for Wisteria, spectacular flowering climbers that produce dangling racemes of scented flowers, usually in May. At Easton we have a fine example growing on the old peach house wall as you pass through the arch from The Pickery towards the terraces, planted when the garden started its restoration in 2001. Don’t miss its cascades of lavender-purple blooms attracting pollinators from near and far with its delicious fragrance.
4. See our garden in its spring finery
Many shrubs bloom only in spring, for example Exochorda x macrantha ‘The Bride’ (pearl bush) with its beautiful white blossom in early April found in our Long Borders. As the season continues, enjoy richly-hued Weigela in the Velvet Border and in May, deliciously-scented Philadelphus (mock orange). In the Cottage Garden, enjoy the fragrance and colour of Cheiranthus (wallflowers); you’ll also find these old favourites planted in rows in The Pickery, alongside beautiful Dianthus barbatus (sweet William). We are also growing pink-flowered Ranunulcus asiaticus (florist’s ranunculus) in pot and container displays this year for their delicate peony-like blooms. For true peonies, see our new dedicated bed in the Old Vegetable Garden, filled with exciting selections, while in the Velvet Border witness the spectacular flowers of Paeonia rockii during late April.
5. Soak up the verdant profusion
The colour green is recognised as the most restful hue to the human eye, with spring the season for the freshest, most vibrant tints, thanks to new shoots everywhere you look. In the Cottage Garden, biennial Smyrnium perfoliatum displays its dazzling, acid-green bracts through late spring, while in the Long Border, various Euphorbia open their green flowerheads alongside bronze-tinted young shoots of roses. Passing down the Evergreen Walk, keep an eye out for deciduous conifer Larix europea (larch) ‘Blue Rabbit’ with its fresh green needles.