Firestyle Magazine Issue 7 - Spring 2017 | Page 35

Here are some of the National Trust’s top gardens to enjoy this spring:
South West
Greenway, Devon
Once the beloved holiday home of
author Agatha Christie, Greenway
now delights thousands of visitors
every spring. In the gardens,
swathes of spring bulbs cover the
lawns while camellias, magnolias
and rhododendrons brighten the
woodland garden and line the
driveway. Curious visitors can join
the National Trust garden team
for a free daily garden tour, which
showcases the best bits of the spring
garden and reveals some of its
secrets and history.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/greenway
Knightshayes, Devon
With over 1200 plant species unique
to the site, and riotous seasonal
colour, the garden at Knightshayes
is always worth a visit. Pay a visit in
spring to see the woodland garden
waking up after a winter of gentle
rest and care from the National
Trust garden team. With camellias,
azaleas and magnolias all bursting
into life amid carpets of daffodils,
snowdrops and bluebells, this is
when the garden begins to show its
true colours.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/
knightshayes
Kingston Lacy, Dorset
There’s so much to see at Kingston
Lacy, not least the beautiful
Japanese Garden and peaceful
Nursery Wood. Visit during the spring
months to see spectacular displays
of cherry blossom, azalea, camellia,
and flowering tulips that continue all
the way into May.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/kingston-
lacy
South East
Cliveden, Buckinghamshire
Cliveden is at its most colourful in the
spring, when thousands of bulbs and
plants create vivid displays throughout
the gardens and woodland. See the
meticulously planted beds of the
Parterre, or stroll through the formal Long
Garden with its thousands of colourful
blooms. You can also explore the
grounds and woodland to find drifts of
daffodils and a blossom laden-orchard.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/cliveden
East of England
Blickling Estate, Norfolk
The entire garden at Blickling springs into
life at this time of year, with masses of
colour and scent produced by a wide
range of bulbs, perennials and shrubs.
The Temple Walk blazes with the colour
of rhododendrons and azaleas, while
swathes of daffodils drift along tree-lined
avenues. The National Trust garden
team have also planted around 10,000
tulips, 2,000 hyacinths and 400 hellebores
across the estate, so there’s plenty of
seasonal colour to enjoy.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/blickling-estate
Wimpole, Cambridgeshire
Visit Wimpole’s Pleasure Grounds to
see glorious drifts of thousands of bright
yellow daffodils and narcissus that are
a feast for the eyes and provide subtle
floral scents to really lift the spirits after
a long winter. In the Walled Garden
orchard under the fruit trees, there are
small Snake’s Head fritillaries and delicate
but colourful displays of species tulips
nodding their heads in the gentle breeze,
awaiting the fall of blossom confetti from
the fruit trees above.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/wimpole-estate
Midlands
Dudmaston,
Shropshire
At this time of year
the parkland floor at
Dudmaston is covered
by a sea of bluebells, and
beautiful Magnolia trees
are just coming into bud.
Rhodendrons and azaleas
follow soon after, turning
the garden into a riot of
colour. Keep an eye out
for the azalea ‘Sappho’,
whose pure white flowers
and contrasting deep
crimson centre have
made it a favourite of the
Dudmaston garden team.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/
dudmaston
Croome,
Worcestershire
Take a spring-time stroll
around the grounds at
Croome and experience
the sweet, heady scent
of flowering lime trees,
the delicate hint of
honeysuckle and or the
luxuriant fragrances of lilac
and rock rose. Anyone
looking for more informal
blooms can seek out the
statue of Pan, the god
of sheep and shepherds,
which is surrounded by
wild tulips, dog toothed
violets, snakes head fritillary
and anemone. On the
island you’ll find banks of
primroses and cowslips.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/
croome
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