Spring in South West England

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Plant Travels and Excursions

Although today was bitterly cold (by South West England standards- 36F!) and with intermittent light snow flurries we made out first visit of the year to Killerton House. Killerton is our nearest National Trust Property and the house and estate occupy some 6400 acres on the eastern side of the City of Exeter. The grounds comprise mostly of steep wooded hillsides on top of which are the remains of an Iron Age hill fort. The gardens were originally created by John Veitch in the 1770's.

Snowdrops, early Daffodils and Crocuses, all in swathes, created the low to the ground colour and the first six images show these:-

Comments

deesen's picture

deesen (not verified)

Sun, 02/24/2013 - 12:06pm

Given all the rain we have had and the consequential lack of sun for many months I can't understand why Iris unguicularis should be looking so good in all the gardens we have been to this year (including my own!)

Early Rhododendrons were just beginning with many more to follow.

No Devon spring scene would be the same without the ubiquitous Devon Primrose (Primula vulgaris)

deesen's picture

deesen (not verified)

Sun, 02/24/2013 - 12:08pm

In the adjacent Church Yard are two old oaks under-planted with Cyclamen coum:-

Trond Hoy's picture

Trond Hoy

Sun, 02/24/2013 - 12:21pm
deesen wrote:

Although today was bitterly cold (by South West England standards- 36F!) and with intermittent light snow flurries we made out first visit of the year to Killerton House. Killerton is our nearest National Trust Property and the house and estate occupy some 6400 acres on the eastern side of the City of Exeter. The grounds comprise mostly of steep wooded hillsides on top of which are the remains of an Iron Age hill fort. The gardens were originally created by John Veitch in the 1770's.

Snowdrops, early Daffodils and Crocuses, all in swathes, created the low to the ground colour and the first six images show these:-

David, you lucky man! All those nice spring flowers :o It is encouraging though to see that spring isn't far away. Although we have had a lot of sunny weather it is bone cold! Today we had about 6C/43F in the sun but barely above 0/32 in the shade during the day. The nights are cold and the soil is frozen. The cold weather has lasted for months. I am anxious for some of my evergreens. They seem to suffer in the cold dry air.

Lori S.'s picture

Lori S. (not verified)

Sun, 02/24/2013 - 7:57pm

Glad you shared that with us, David!  It gives me hope that spring will come again.  Lovely scenes... and those cyclamen! :o :o :o

deesen's picture

deesen (not verified)

Mon, 02/25/2013 - 2:56am
RickR wrote:

Interesting barks on those trees, too, David.

And I never would have guessed oak from the trunks on those last pics.

Could be anything Rick, I'm hopeless on trees!

cohan's picture

cohan (not verified)

Mon, 02/25/2013 - 11:07am

Nice! I wish we had flowers when it was bitterly cold  ;D Oh well, in a few months......
Very cool to see a garden of that age.. Unimaginable in my region..