Knoll Gardens - Ornamental Grasses and Flowering PerennialsKnoll Gardens - Ornamental Grasses and Flowering Perennials
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Knoll Gardens - Ornamental Grasses and Flowering PerennialsKnoll Gardens - Ornamental Grasses and Flowering Perennials
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Spring in the Garden

The pure white flowers of Libertia grandiflora contrasting beautifully with the very bright magenta pink flower of some azaleas at the top of the Rain Garden.

While winter was the usual mix of mild, windy and wet conditions March and most of April have seen comparatively little rain and numerous warm dry days with the result that the garden is currently having a really lovely spring time bonanza of flower. Much of which at this time of year comes from the gardens collection of woody plants. A reminder of just how valuable spring performing woody plants can be.

Being on slightly acid soil the garden has a number of rhododendrons such as this relatively young Rhododendron King George. Beautiful and highly scented it is always a special moment when it comes into flower.
The wedding cake tree, Viburnum plicatum Lanarth has pure white flowers beautifully placed along it branches and has been in the garden for over 30 years. It is framed by some bright red azaleas and the attractive free flowering groundcover of Symphytum Norwich Sky that is a veritable bee magnet when in flower.
While bright flower always draws the eye the garden is also replete with many quieter corners, where shafts of hazy morning sunlight serves to highlight the myriad different shades and shapes of green.
This is the moment for the massed flowers of wisterias that adorn the Pergola Walk to make their presence felt in a feast of colour and scent. This image is taken from the Dragon Garden looking up.
Taken from the Pergola Walk looking through the flowers and down to the Dragon Garden which is still relatively flat at the moment as its plantings of grasses and perennials begin their annual fast growth in preparation for their summer and autumn performances.
Euphorbia palustris offering it bright acid yellow flowers which are always the first to flower after the Decennium borders annual cut down in March each year. While in the background the early morning light is highlighting the ruggedly beautiful bark of the giant sequoia that is now living up to its name.
Framed by some rhododendrons and azaleas the Dry Meadow is now lit up with the bright and delicately airy white flowers of Libertia grandiflora. Even when not in flower the upright iris like foliage of the libertia makes a satisfying contrast with the Poa labillardierei that makes up the majority of the meadow.
On the other side of the Dry Meadow, where it meets the lower lying ground of one of the swales that make up the Rain Garden, our selection of the snowy woodrush, Luzula Snowflake, is at its sparkling best right now.
Luzula Snowflake is also used as a significant part of the small Spring Meadow and along the margins of the top part of the Rain Garden. At its best each year about now the luzula was always a favourite to use on our Chelsea Flower Show displays.
Often grown for their intricate and dainty looking flowers, we use epimediums in the garden in difficult and dry places where they slowly make long lived mounds of fabulous foliage. Here it is being used effectively as an edging along one side of the Decennium border. We rather like the flowers as well!