What’s looking good at RHS Rosemoor?

A mass of glorious daffodils, spilling from pots, flowing through borders and dancing in the meadow areas, marks the start of spring at RHS Rosemoor. The native daffodil Narcissus pseudonarcissus dances through the Stream Garden, while Lady Anne’s Arboretum becomes a sea of golden yellow from the distinctive blooms of the hoop petticoat daffodil, N. bulbocodium and Welsh daffodil, N. obvallaris. In the formal garden, thousands of our namesake Narcissus ‘Rosemoor Gold’ bloom beneath the cherry trees.

Early-flowering cherries start to blossom this month. The smaller Fuji cherries (Prunus incisa) native to Japan are some of the first to bloom. In the Stone Garden, Prunus incisa ‘Praecox’ is laden with pink buds that open to white, above a carpet of blue-flowering Anemone blanda. In Lady Anne’s Garden, look out for Prunus sargentii and P. ‘Kursar’. We have a great collection of cherries at RHS Rosemoor, with some of our oldest planted by Collingwood ‘Cherry’ Ingram – famed for saving many Japanese cherries from extinction.

As the oldest original landscape at RHS Rosemoor, the Stone Garden has an aged charm. Standing proudly at the top of the garden, a well-established Camellia × williamsii ‘Saint Ewe’ is laden with beautiful rose-pink flowers, and the neighbouring Trachycarpus palm adds a sense of the exotic. The eclectic collection of old pots are filled to the brim with bulbs, adding bursts of early spring colour. We use smaller cultivars of daffodils and muscari, which stand up better to the weather, helping prolong the display.

As the garden comes alive with spring colour, nothing can compete with our magnolias for impact. Coaxed into flower by the warmer weather, their magnificent blooms draw you in to admire more closely. Magnolia salicifolia ‘Wada’s Memory’ forms a wonderful backdrop to the Foliage Garden. In Lady Anne’s Garden, the oak canopy offers protection from frost, hopefully leaving the blooms undamaged. Planted either side of the path, Magnolia stellata ‘King Rose’ and M. x soulangeana ‘Burgundy’ act like beacons, guiding you on to discover others.

In the Cottage Garden the flowering season starts with joyful displays of daffodils. Planted in generous drifts through the borders, small and dainty forms such as Narcissus ‘Jack Snipe’ stand up well to the weather, while N. ‘Hawera’ is a favourite of Curator Jonathan Webster, bearing multiple nodding lemon yellow flowers on each stem. The rustic thatched shelter is adorned with daffodils in pots. Cultivar ‘Sir Winston Churchill’ works well in a container, allowing you to get closer to its creamy white flowers to enjoy their delicious scent.

From late winter into spring, discover a sweetshop of colours all around as camellias flower in an wonderful rainbow of hues. The unique, woodland habitat at RHS Rosemoor, with ericaceous pockets of soil nestled under large trees, provides the perfect growing conditions for colourful camellias to thrive. We’ve introduced some lesser-known species camellias, including Camellia transnokoensis, with tiny reddish buds that open to reveal white, scented flowers.

Bursting into life with the vibrant greens of new growth, the Rock Gully has a unique feeling within the garden. Its naturalistic stream is punctuated by rocks covered in a medley of moss and lichen. A wonderful tree to spot this month is the three-lobed spice bush, Lindera triloba. It’s smothered with beautiful, delicate yellow flowers on bare stems in early spring, followed by its flush of new leaves. Sitting on the water’s edge, Carex elata ‘Aurea’ is another fantastic plant, providing a magnificent show of fresh growth.

The Winter Garden is undergoing an exciting transformation, with new areas designed by award-winning Garden Designer Jo Thompson. Come and see the project as it develops. Planting starts in the revamped garden this month.