Branklyn through the Seasons

While you can always find some hidden treasures on a visit at any time during the year, Branklyn is a garden of three main seasons - spring, summer and autumn.

Spring

Branklyn is famed for its rhododendrons and is a riot of colour in springtime. Many of the rhododendrons have been raised from seed collected by plant hunters such as Sherriff, Ludlow, Forrest, Kingdon Ward, Rock, Farrer and Cox.

Rhododendrons start to come into colour as early as February – frosts permitting, and many species are still in bloom in July in the most vibrant of colours.

Underneath the rhododendrons are spring flowering primulas and bulbous plants, such as the dog-tooth violet. While in the Rock Garden and scree there are alpine primulas, gentians and saxifrages.

Summer
 

In early summer Branklyn’s most spectacular treasure is the display of Meconopsis – the lovely blue Himalayan poppy. The soil in the garden is well suited to this genus and Meconopsis has almost become the symbol of Branklyn.

The largest tree in the garden is a huge hornbeam – Carpinus betulus ‘Fastigiata’. It stands above the summer house just to the south of Branklyn House. It is said to be one of the tallest in Britain.

Primulas too add colour. But at this time of the year it is the trees and shrubs which come into their own.

Magnolias, Japanese maples, and conifers in many different shades of green.

Birch too has its place and there is also a lovely grey-green leaved Hoheria lyallii from New Zealand.

High summer brings the lilies and the herbaceous plants into full flower. These have all been carefully chosen to make Branklyn the lush soft garden it has become.

Late flowering alpines and pinks help to keep interest going in the Rock Garden.

Autumn

Another special time in the garden – particularly in the month of September. There are Cyclamen hederifolium, Colchicum and Crocus to delight the eye.

Chinese gentians come into full display and some will continue to flower until December. But it is the trees which dominate the picture – in particular the Acers, which have been chosen for their spectacular autumn colours.

One other tree which is a particular autumn delight is Cercidiphyllum japonicum. A small tree at the far end of the garden, it takes on a a pink hue and is one of the first trees to go into its autumn colour.


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