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Woodland Garden

At the top of the hill sitting alongside the Robinson Garden is the Woodland Garden, an original area of Hyde Hall created by the Robinsons

Looking its best in...

  • Spring A tapestry of pink, red, mauve and white courtesy of camellias, rhododendrons and magnolias

In the beginning

Before planting could begin, the Robinsons first had to clear this area of scrub and brambles.

The site was so exposed that their original planting attempts failed, so a belt of conifers and other trees was added to provide shelter, and the soil was improved by adding sulphur pellets to increase acidity.

This allowed a number of rare acid-loving specimens of Camellia, Rhododendron, Pieris and Magnolia – which would not generally survive in this part of the country – to thrive here.

Pushing boundaries

Today, organic acidic mulch is added as a top layer on the soil, to maintain its low pH and help retain moisture. The surrounding mature trees – the original shelter belt – provide enclosure and protect the planting from frost damage.

The Woodland Garden comes into its own from February to April when ornamental horticulture puts on its best show. As the plants that thrive here are unusual for the region, this is a garden that pushes the boundaries of what can be successfully grown if conditions are effectively manipulated.

Stand-out specimen

The garden features a superb mature specimen of West Himalayan birch (Betula utilis var. jacquemontii), which has reached more than 10m (32ft) in height. Its striking, luminous, white bark brightens up this part of the garden on a dark winter’s day and stands out against underplantings of Euonymus fortunei ‘Emerald ‘n’ Gold’ and early-flowering daffodils.

Rhododendrons and camellias like to be grown in acidic soil that has a low pH. If your soil, like Hyde Hall’s, is alkaline you can gradually lower the pH – but it will take a long time. Products such as sulphur can be applied as small, pelleted chips and lightly forked into the soil as or a low pH mulch can used. Such mulches contain high amounts of pine needles, fern fronds or leaf mould, and very little green waste, which is alkaline.

RHS Garden Hyde Hall Horticulturist

Rhododendrons and camellias like to be grown in acidic soil that has a low pH. If your soil, like Hyde Hall’s, is alkaline you can gradually lower the pH – but it will take a long time. Products such as sulphur can be applied as small, pelleted chips and lightly forked into the soil as or a low pH mulch can used. Such mulches contain high amounts of pine needles, fern fronds or leaf mould, and very little green waste, which is alkaline.

RHS Garden Hyde Hall Horticulturist

Plants in the Woodland Garden

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