In spite of the wet and windy weather of recent weeks, with over 6 inches of rain falling so far this month, the garden is still looking pretty good. This morning was bright and clear with a touch of frost, and as you can see only a small amount of low sunshine is needed to create some magical effects. All images were taken today between 8am – 8.30am.
At the bottom end of the Long Walk the first rays of sunshine hit miscanthus such as Miscanthus Malepartus, to centre right, and panicum in the foreground.
A wider view of the Dry Meadow with yellow and amber colouring acers in the background. The bluish foliage of Poa labillardierei makes up the base of the meadow with the slightly taller, airy and open brown stems of Molinia Edith Dudszus reflecting the early morning sunshine. While the comparatively upright and rather striking stems of Molinia Overdam planted in a different part of the meadow offer the same light reflecting qualities.
In spite of the best attempts of the wind and rain the late colouring Acer palmatum opposite the Forum has managed to retain some of its warmly coloured foliage; up until now at least!
Timed to be at its best during the early part of the year, the Spring Meadow contains many smaller grasses such as sesleria, carex and briza and comes alive with primula and other bright and cheery bulbs come the spring.
Although the temperatures in the garden did not fall quite to zero there was some white frost evident on some more exposed areas of turf such as at the end of the Long Walk.
Many grasses are great at reflecting light but possibly pennisetum are amongst the most impressive when their fluffy, almost caterpillar like, flowers are covered in dew and then lit up by some early sunshine.
Not to be outdone is a rather fascinating grass in the plant centre, Bothriochloa barbinodis. This noticeably upright and elegantly flowered grass is new to our range; requiring a sunny open position and disliking of winter wet soils.
Bothriochloa barbinodis
Deschampsia is a native grass that is also pretty good at reflecting light and begins flowering relatively early in the summer.
Even the flowers of the young plants growing in our field such as miscanthus will reflect and warm in the welcome morning sunshine.
