Daffodil days at Partner Gardens
The cheerful sight of golden daffodils is a welcome prelude to warmer spring days. Many Partner Gardens put on jubilant displays. Here are a few you might like to visit
Hever Castle and Gardens
Hever Castle and Gardens in Kent glows with a glorious display of an estimated 250,000 flowers from more than 70,000 daffodil bulbs. Head Gardener Neil Miller and daffodil breeder Johnny Walkers lead tours of the collection, described as a ‘living museum’. “There aren’t many plants that look essentially the same whatever their age but it’s near impossible to tell how old daffodils are by looking at their blooms,” says Johnny.
Many of the daffodils were planted in the early 1900s at the request of former owner and daffodil enthusiast William Waldorf Astor. “Anne Boleyn’s Orchard is filled with both ancient and modern cultivars, all of which look as fantastic as the day they were planted,” says Neil.
Beningbrough Gardens, North Yorkshire
More than 300,000 spring
Spring is a time of new beginnings and around the garden
Backhouse Rossie Walled Estate Gardens, Fife
The National Plant Collection of Backhouse Rossie family Narcissus cultivars can be viewed within the traditionally managed walled garden and grounds.
In the Walled Garden visitors can see the longest rose archway in Scotland, underplanted with heritage Narcissus varieties including N. ‘Little Witch’ (1921), N. ‘WP Milner’ (1869), Tulipa ‘Spring Green’, Auricula and primula plantings. In the potager quarter are N. ‘Emperor’, N. ‘Empress’, N. ‘Mrs RO Backhouse’ named by Robert Backhouse after his wife Sarah, and N. ‘Desert Fox’ created by Robert and Sarah’s son William O Backhouse.
Heritage Narcissus plantings also surround the grass labyrinth quarter, while in the orchard quarter, a profusion of Narcissus give colour to an area planted with old espaliered apple trees.
In the grounds, swathes of daffodils grow across the lawns including N. ‘Golden Harvest’ (1920) and N. ‘Jack Snipe’ (1951). This area of the garden is home to champion trees and there are views to the Lomond Hills. A woodland daffodil-lined walk to a ruined Covenanter’s tomb and children’s bear walk with scented daffodils completes the collection.
Exbury Gardens, New Forest
Exbury is a 200-acre woodland garden famed for its spring-flowering magnolias, camellias and rhododendrons. Visitors can wander around the River of Gold, a 100,000-bulb colour burst that weaves around rare trees near Exbury House, and a new River Walk, which allows access to previously hidden woodland within the Gardens, with glimpses of the Beaulieu River estuary. Stretching nearly half a mile past mature oaks, field maples, yews and hazels, the River Walk meanders from Daffodil Meadow, which is planted with thousands of the yellow spring favourites, to the stunning flower-filled Azalea Bowl.
Hestercombe, Somerset
Swathes of beautiful daffodils appear over the banks of the valley of Hestercombe’s 18th-century landscaped garden, designed by former estate owner Coplestone Warre Bampfylde from the 1750s. The garden has fascinating follies and stunning vistas, ponds and waterfalls. Most of the trees and shrubs are native varieties including beech, larch, ash, sycamore, yew, holly, spindle and dogwoods.
The Edwardian formal garden at Hestercombe was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and Gertrude Jekyll, and is considered one of their most outstanding collaborations. The Victorian terrace is full of colourful seasonal bedding and offers fantastic views over the Jekyll/Lutyens Great Plat.
The Victorian shrubbery offers plenty of spring interest such as Sarcococca, winter-flowering honeysuckle, witch hazel and hellebores.
