Jo's News and Views No 3 March 2024

Hello Everyone 

If we ignore the nigh on continuous rain and concentrate on the odd day of sunshine, I think we can believe that Spring has arrived. When the clocks go forward and we get to enjoy that extra hour of daylight in the evenings I think we all breathe a sigh of relief because we have made it through another winter. 

The garden at Myddelton is certainly doing its best to show us that Spring is most definitely here. The Cornus mas situated at the beginning of the drive has been a mass of blossom in the most wonderful shade of yellow, photo 1. It seems to hang in the air like a big fluffy yellow cloud. 

All around the garden are another of my favourite flowers, the primrose. Seen here with some pulmonaria, photo 2. In the Pergola area the huge Magnolia with pale pink flowers has burst into flower. Slowly at first, photo 3 taken on 6/3/24, then two weeks later it looked magnificent, photo 4. The flowers are beautiful, photo 5. Further on in the Rose Garden the Magnolia with dark pink flowers was not going to be out done, photo 6. Another fabulous display. Moving on through the Pergola Garden there were more shrubs to enjoy, photo 7. There were two Chaenomeles there, known as Japanese Quince. One with white flowers, photo 8 and one with red flowers, photo 9. I am not sure of their specific names so will find out for the next time I mention them. Also here was a splendid Mahonia japonica, this shrub has very fragrant flowers and is the most vibrant yellow colour you can imagine, photo 10. 

Down in the Rock Garden the snowdrops and daffodils have made way for the Scilla, photo 11. The beautiful Magnolia stellata was also in full flower, photo 12. Nearby the patch of Lathraea clandestina was in flower too, photo 13. This is a parasitic plant that feeds on the roots of the Acer here. 

Retracing my steps I returned to the Kitchen Garden. Here I found the Prunus laurocerasus 'Camelliifolia, known as the Curly Leaved Laurel covered in flowers, photo 14. Walking around the glasshouses I could see that in the bed in front of the Peach House, the anemones were still flowering, photo 15. These delicate looking flowers have been around all through winter and are still producing beautiful blooms proving that they are much tougher than they look, photos 16 and 17. Inside the Peach House there was more blossom to enjoy on the Nectarine and Peach trees there, photo 18. The flowers are a beautiful shade of pink, photo 19. 

Walking along the New River Lawn I stopped to admire the hellebores still in flower there. A friend pointed these two out to me as they are different colours but are on one stem, photo 20, very unusual. Next I walked through to Bowling Green Lawn. Here the Amelanchier lamarckii was in full bloom, photo 21. The individual flowers are quite delicate, photo 22, however when they are all open together they form this wonderful white display. Another sign that Spring is here. 

Now for the fauna round up this month. First of all a pheasant, photo 23. You don't see them very often as they are quite elusive, so my thanks to Liz Macnicol for sharing this photo with me. In the beds along the New River Lawn this Mistle Thrush was scraping away the surface to find some delicacy hiding below, photo 24. In the Oak tree in the car park, I saw this Nuthatch. It has previously nested in one of the bird boxes there and I hope it does again this year. When I was in the Rock Garden this beautiful Peacock butterfly settled long enough for me to take its photo. I also saw a Brimstone butterfly but no photo as they just keep flitting about here, there and everywhere. They are the bright yellow butterflies that you may see in your garden at this time of year. Then finally, frog spawn in the pond, photo 27. Not the most glamorous subject to end on but a sign that the pond is healthy and all those little frogs will help the gardeners stay on top of the pests. 

Well, I hope you have enjoyed this wander around the garden with me. 

Best Wishes 

Jo