News & Events
Viewings for 2013
There are no open days scheduled. The garden is open, by appointment only, from the last week in April to late May. Individuals and small groups are most welcome by appointment. If you want to take cuttings and/or seeds, please contact me to discuss the best time.
After a very promising March 2012, when the collection budded up well, the cold, windy and grey April and May produced a poor Montana display in 2012. That followed a magnificent show in 2011, when the warm April weather in that year helped the collection to perform at its best throughout the opening period.
So what about 2013? First the prolonged wet autumn and early winter months, followed by the bitter winter cold up to now, 8th April. This made for a wonderful display of hellebores, snowdrops, primroses, violets, violas, crocuses, iris reticulata and hyacinths. Various Daphne and viburnum have also been spectacular, their scent pervading the garden even on the coldest days. Now the hellebores are nearing the end of their flower power, snowdrops and crocuses are over but the thousands of daffodils are strutting their stuff, forget me nots are coming into bloom and lily of the valley and bluebells are popping their heads out of the ground.
The early clematis groups - Macropetalas, Alpinas, Evergreens and Montanas are all in bud. There is also good growth on many of the later clematis - I have dozens of the beautiful, small flowered, Viticellas, which flower in a wide range of colours from mid-summer into the autumn (these were hard pruned in February). They have all enjoyed our first good rainfall for several years and, I suspect, appreciated time to rest over the winter period. What we need now is some warmth and sun to develop the buds into a stunning floral display. Early visitors might be disappointed, with most of the Montana species, varieties and cultivars having few flowers unfurled, but you should still be able to see the relative vigour of each kind (some of the newer ones are compact and suitable for small gardens, even for tree pots on small patios), select the flower colour, size and shape you like best and detect the perfume of many of the group. At the time of writing (8th April 2013), I am expecting the best display to be mid - late May. But it will, of course, depend on the weather. Fingers and toes tightly crossed!
Please note that I am not a nursery. This is a private garden. Marcus Dancer Plants is located nearby and Marcus can often be here, by appointment, for larger group bookings. There are usually Montana seedlings around the garden. You would be welcome to dig one up to take home if you bring a small, deep pot - you might pick a winner!
I am just completing a booklet on The Montana Group, to be published by the British Clematis Society. It should be available some time later this year.
Entry remains at £6.00 per person this year. Cheques to be made payable to Help For Heroes, please, as all proceeds go to that charity. Home made light refreshments and a conducted tour of the garden are included in the entry fee. Coffee kindly donated by Cherizena Coffee Beans.
On site parking available. As we are on a steep slope, please ensure you wear suitable shoes/boots.
To book a visit please contact me via email if possible - val@lmnp.co.uk - or ring 01725 511931. I look forward to meeting you in late spring.
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