I had the choice of where we stopped on the way home after our weekend away and chose the National Trust property Dunham Massey, which is between the city of Manchester and the peace of the Cheshire plains. and not too far from the M6 motorway which would bring us home once more. The 18th Century house became the Stamford Military Hospital during the 1st World War and was used for the war wounded. I had read that they now had a winter woodland garden, so it seemed just the place for us to visit.
Masses of tiny narcissus!
This was the sight that greeted us as we entered the woodland area. The garden was only started 5 years ago so someone has done such a lot of planting. This area used to be the pony paddock in days gone by when there were children living here.
So many flowers, whichever way you looked.
There were so many paths through the planting, but I didn’t want to miss anything.
It was hard to believe that this was just an area of scrubland 5 yrs ago.
All of a sudden we spotted lots of silver birches with their underplanting of thousands of snowdrops!
This reminds me of photos I’ve seen, I think of Anglesey Abbey’s Winter Garden, another National Trust garden.
There were snowdrops as far as the eye could see.
My old friend, the red stemmed Cornus.
Scillas and Iris reticulata planted in the grass.
There were lots of hellebores, but planted singly, no drifts this time!
Witch Hazels underplanted with narcissus. I felt the witch hazels didn’t show up very well with all the yellow around them. They would maybe show up better with a different colour at their feet.
More witch hazels with narcissus and snowdrops.
Maybe these narcissus will be white?
Lots of Leucojum vernum in a new area being developed.
Bergenia leaves glowing red in the sunshine.
A last look at the thousands of narcissus before we leave.
Thousands upon thousands.
There are loads more bulbs to take over from the narcissus, but I’m so glad we saw the golden carpet.
One for the undergardener, found in the stables off the courtyard.
There was a little plant area just by the exit which looked so tempting.
Yes, a pot of Sheila Ann had to come home with me to remind me of a wonderful garden.
It was now time to think about lunch. The undergardener had booked a table at the nearby Axe and Cleaver Pub where we had the most delicious meal. I had Fillet of Sea Bass with Scallops on a Pea and Prawn risotto, it was totally amazing! As we left, as it was Mother’s Day in the UK, I was handed a bunch of daffodils and a little bag of Champagne Truffles!
It was then down the M6 and M5 to Bristol where we stopped to see our daughter and her family before finally coming home -what a perfect end to a wonderful weekend.
Fabulous garden. The birches and the snowdrops really work. In a ghostly sort of way! I’m after a trio of those trees to put here somewhere. Which variety is it that you have?
I know what you mean about the birches and snowdrops being ghostly Jessica, they made me feel really cold after the gold of the narcissus! My birches are mainly Betula jaquemontii, which is the very white one. Also one betula papyriferra, after a holiday we had in Canada in a forest of these, which are used for canoes, it is not quite as white and Betula ermanii which is creamy/pink. Remember to underplant at the same time as planting your trees, as their root system is very near the surface and it is impossible later!
Beautiful garden! So much daffodils and snowdrops! Champagner Trüffel, my favorite one!
Sigrun
The daffodils and snowdrops were wonderful Sigrun, a lovely sight to see so many all at once. I’m sure the Champagne Truffles will be wonderful, I’m saving them for Easter!
What a special and happy Mother’s day! Beautiful garden, especially the white birches with snowdrops at their feet, a brilliant combination. Fields of happy daffodils make my heart sing! How delightful that you’ll have ‘Sheila Ann’ in your garden to remind you of this lovely garden.
I’ve got just the right place on a slope in the woodland for Sheila Ann, Peter, the drainage should be good for her there and will be a permanent reminder of a wonderful day.
I think more National Trust gardens are discovering that they can bring the winter visitors in if they have lots of lovely bulbs for us to see, it must certainly increase their number of visitors.
Wonderful garden and pictures. This is a gorgeous place to visit!
Cheers, Sandra
Thanks Sandra, it was a lovely place to visit at this time of year. We were lucky with the weather, the narcissus positively glowed in the sunshine.
Such beautiful plantings. Thanks for sharing your trip. I’d love to walk among those narcissus. Also appreciated seeing the Leucojum vernum.
Walking amongst the narcissus was wonderful Susie, it felt like sunshine all around us and can only get better as the years go by. I hope the little Leucojum vernum answers your query on your own post!
Yes, the birches and snowdrops make a great display – and you clearly visited the property at just the right time to catch the winter garden. You have had some lovely visits recently!
The snowdrops were just starting to go over, but they still made a great display. So many other bulbs had been planted, it would look good for quite some time to come. I think that is the end of visits for this month, must attend to my own garden!
Hi Pauline,
What a wonderful day! I have to rethink my idea of what a winter garden would be….mine is all brown and gray and really sad looking. The Silver Birch & Snow Drops are stunning! It’s so nice to have color after a drab winter. I don’t blame you for taking Sheila Ann home! I would have too….
Sally, winter gardens have certainly come on a long way over the last 20 yrs. There’s no excuse any more for not having a little corner that has colour during the winter months, not when we have these gardens showing us the way!
I know this is a gardening blog, but my mouth’s still watering at the Fillet of Sea Bass with Scallops on a Pea and Prawn risotto! Sounds delicious. What a lovely weekend you’ve had and the winter garden is great. What a good tip to underplant at the same time as planting shallow rooted trees. Thank you Pauline.
The meal was truly wonderful Denise, the best meal out that I have had for a long time! It was a good weekend with lovely plants both days as well as the 80th Birthday Party.
I learned the hard way when trying to underplant the first silver birch that I bought. I tried to plant some bulbs a couple of years after the tree had been put in and the roots had formed such a solid mat, it was almost impossible. When I planted the rest of my birches in the front, I made sure the bulbs went in at the same time!
Some inspiring ideas in these photos, Pauline. I’ve been thinking about adding snowdrops and now I know I will… and I know where, under the birch trees above our drive. Mixed with the crocus already there, it should look wonderful, even if not as ghostly.
Glad to have been of help Pat, the snowdrops certainly looked wonderful under the birch trees. I think with your crocus already there, it will look better, as I felt the all white planting was rather cold!
I really must visit Dunham Massey, maybe next year. I agree about the under planting of the witch hazel, but oh, those drifts of daffs, and the birch groves…
Dunham Massey was a real eye opener Janet. The coffee shop and garden opened at 10 am, we got there just after and it was packed! Apparently you can walk your dog on a lead and your children can ride their bikes in the deer park, I’m not sure what the deer do, but it seemed as though the whole world was there! Not many turned off for the garden thank goodness, so it was very quiet while we were looking at all the bulbs. The drifts of bulbs and all the birches were amazing, I loved it!
We were last at Dunham Massey three years ago this month Pauline. It’s so interesting to see how those snowdrops have spread since. I imagine that the new Visitors’ Centre is probably up and running now. Have made a note of the pub name for future reference 🙂
Yes, there was a lovely new visitor centre Anna and our morning coffee was in beautiful new surroundings. The snowdrops were a picture, so many, as far as the eye could see, maybe they are splitting them every year to increase them as quickly as possible. The pub was down a side road almost opposite Dunham Massey and we can thoroughly recommend it!
Wow, what an incredible show of late winter colour and interest. The combinations are inspiring, especially the grove of birches with snowdrops. I wouldn’t have thought to intersperse them with existing mature trees like that, but it works beautifully.
It’s amazing isn’t it Kate, to see such beautiful colour and flowers at this time of year. It was different to see them in amongst the ancient trees and I think they work well together.
what a lovely weekend – that garden was special but my fave woodland garden is still yours.
How kind Susan, that is a lovely thing to say! It was a lovely garden, seeing such huge drifts of flowers was breathtaking!
Yes its such a lovely garden isn’t it, its not far from me so I regularly go there. The narcissus look so great en mass like that don’t they. I think the garden will just get better and better as the years go on.
Lucky you, Annie, being able to go regularly. The bulbs will all increase and they obviously still had areas to develop so I would imagine that in years to come, it will be even better.
There are so many gardens to visit at any time of year in the UK, there is always somewhere interesting to stop when you’re on a long journey and want a break; that is something I miss here.
We are so lucky with gardens open most of the year in the UK Christina. RHS gardens are open all year and now the National Trust seems to be following their example, some opening from February onwards,lets face it, it brings money in when normally they would be shut. It’s through visiting these gardens that I get my inspiration for the garden here, there is always something that can inspire, whether it is a plant or combination of plants.