Back at the end of February we had a trip to Temple Newsam and I wrote my post, It's Crocus Season. Although there was an abundance of crocuses at the time, I was bemoaning the fact that the rhododendrons appeared to have been hacked back and I was contemplating a much diminished display this year. Temple Newsam Rhododendron Walk is usually magnificent in May and June, as you can see from the post I wrote back in 2012. Unfortunately, I was proved right, the hacking that the shrubs were given has definitely affected their flowering ability this year.
The beginning of the walk looks promising with quite a few shrubs in flower.
Unfortunately, as you turn the corner, there are quite a few empty spaces. It's a real shame as the impact of so many shrubs growing closely together when they're all blooming makes quite an impact.
There were still some buds waiting to open so perhaps it's looking a little better now as it's a couple of weeks or so since we visited, but there are definitely lots of empty spaces this year.
The azaleas in the open beds are flowering profusely and making up for the slight disappointment the rhododendrons are giving.
There are so many different colours...
...and so many different shades.
It's hard to choose a favourite.
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When we visited back in February the trees were devoid of leaves and I'd taken a photo of a particular tree which I loved the shape of. I was wondering what kind of tree it was and Sustainable Mum and her daughter left a comment saying they thought it could be an Oak or a Sycamore going by its shape. It's the large tree in the photo above, isn't it a beauty.
Well, I can report that Sustainable Mum and her daughter were right, it's a sycamore.
It was a really warm day when we visited and Archie took refuge in the bluebells that were flowering, which reminds me that I never got to visit the bluebell wood near our old house when the bluebells were flowering. I had every intention to take Archie for a walk there before our move but time got away from me. I wonder if I'll discover any bluebells near my new house, I'll have to wait until next year to find out now.
What a shame the rhododendrons have been pruned so hard but maybe that was what needed to be done but I'm no gardener. All the flowers look gorgeous and lovely to see Archie hiding in the bluebells. Just wondering if you have moved a long way from your old house, maybe you could revisit next year.
ReplyDeleteNo, we haven't moved far so we'll be able to continue our visits to Temple Newsam, it's only a short drive away.
DeleteI expect the rhodies will be spectacular next year after their thorough hack back, good job they didn't touch the azaleas. Archie looks to be having just the best of times.
ReplyDeleteShame about the rhododendrons, but the azaleas look lovely. The sycamore is certainly a good looking tree. I hope that you find a local bluebell wood for next year. xx
ReplyDeleteYou visit some lovely places Jo, those Azaleas are stunning a pity about the Rhodedrums, they probably need a couple of years to recover. I hope you are enjoying the jubilee weekend. Xx
ReplyDeleteLove the picture of Archie. Those azaleas are stunning, what a shame about the rhododendrons, I guess they need to be trimmed to stop them getting too big. Hopefully they will recover and bloom as they have done before.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the mention, chuffed that we got it right! It is a lovely shaped tree Jo, I can see why you love it so much.
I remember being told by a gardener in a big house in Scotland that they hacked rhodies deliberately to make them grow bigger and better. Mind you, he might have just been trying to placate me when I asked why they had cut them back so hard!
ReplyDeleteLovely to see Archie in the bluebells!
The azaleas look amazing & wouldn't a light pruning & tidy up be better each year than a nasty attack on the rhododendrons? It all seems so long ago when we met you there and I'm trying to remember where the azaleas were. Enjoy the weekend of festivities, take care & hugs.
ReplyDeleteA shame about the rhododendrons but the azaleas are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteLove the photograph with Archie :)
Enjoy the weekend, we have been watching The Queens Platinum Jubilee Celebrations.
All the best Jan
I love rhodies and azaleas, they are always so colourful. I could never understand why some people, especially managers of large estate gardens, insist on radically cutting back or even getting rid of rhodies completely. I know they aren't a native species but they add some lovely colours to a garden. A place not far from me used to have some lovely rhodies round the Japanese lake but they were got rid of during conservation work about four years ago, now the place looks really ordinary without the colour.
ReplyDeleteI love the photo of Archie in the bluebells by the way, he looks so cute :)
Stunning display of azaleas, we have a similar problem with our Oleander, we didn´t get round to pruning this year so its a riot of colour but probably no flowers next year after we prune xcx
ReplyDeleteI'm glad your move is behind you now. How fortunate you are to have lovely gardens to enjoy with hubby and Archie. We have wild Rhoddies growing in the woods throughout the Pocono mountains where my daughter lives. Also Mountain Laurel. So beautiful! Here at our house we have Azaleas that haven't been trimmed in several years so are up to the roof of the front of our house (one floor level) and covers the window to the family room almost completely!💖
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