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The Winter Beds, with their concentration of bright colours and glorious scent, challenge the conventional view of January and February being a barren time in a garden. Whether it be the striking willows reflecting on the water’s edge, the unashamed radiance of the dogwood stems or the clove-scented flowers of the Himalayan Daphne bholua ‘Jacqueline Postill’, there certainly is a lot to enjoy at this time of year. With so many witch hazels currently in flower, we have chosen to feature some of the distinctly coloured hybrids in the Garden. Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Pallida’ is particularly renowned for its bright colour and sweet perfume. As with colour, scent can also vary greatly amongst witch hazels. The Queen Elizabeth Temperate House offers a relaxing spot, even on cold and wet days, where cyclamen, hyacinths and narcissi fill the air with uplifting perfume. Bark is another theme in our plant selections this month. There are a surprising array of textures and colours to be seen during the winter months ranging from the polished mahogany-look of the Prunus, the ‘jungle camouflage’ appearance of the Stewartia pseudocamillia, to the characterful craggy bark on the oak trees The extensive plantings in Summer Wood forge ahead with promise of brimming new displays of hydrangeas. This ambitious new planting scheme will reinvigorate this part of the Garden, with the first flush of displays expected in August 2012. The Garden is open from 10am to 4.30pm with last entry at 4pm. Click here for a full version of this month's featured plants in The Savill Garden. |
