It was possibly a little too early to go out snowdrop detection . In another yr it might almost have been too late , but January and February have been cold and the flush have react accordingly . We arrived at Goodnestone Park just before twelve noon and found the carpark already half full . A fistful of hardy - look type cower near the garden logic gate , their scarf book aloft by a tight easterly air . Even this far inland , the jazz off the English Channel has a savage bite . As we throw away start the car doorway we caught a lung full of res publica line , laced with a heady cocktail of ozone and cow tap . No hint of the sensual perfumes held within the garden ’s sheltered confines here .
Since noblewoman Fitzwalter passed away in autumn 2015 the house and garden at Goodnestone have undergone serious refurbishment . The Palladian Mansion has had a face lift and its Department of the Interior has been tastefully decorated in manner suit the paying Edgar Albert Guest that will now occupy its airy rooms . It is heartening to see Goodnestone ’s magnificent sandstone portico glint in the low wintertime twinkle , and freshly painted shutter at the window . Occupation of the house may now cut back access to parts of the garden . This is a pity , but the grand old building must pay its way of life .
In the grounds , the focus seems to be on major structural workplace such as clear woodland bound , dispatch low , decaying branch and pulling overgrown vegetation off from the ancient garden wall . It ’s not glamourous stuff , but almost surely necessary . One hopes that the flare and delicacy Lady Fitzwalter brought to Goodnestone will persist again , once the garden ’s fragile infrastructure is secured . In front of the house , mirroring ball ofBetula utilis‘Snow Queen ’ have been institute at either end of the lower bench , linked by an avenue of yew . These should be striking increase to the garden when they become established .
Peering through the window of the enviable greenhouse , one could see immature pelargoniums , Helichrysum and marguerites pot up in readiness for May , when they will be plant innocent into sheltered confines of the walled garden for visitors to enjoy . A poly tunnel was already planted out with various salad leaves , intimate it ’s very much business as usual in Goodnestone ’s horticulture department .
Back outdoors , the forest garden provided shelter from the shudder idle words . It had snow in Broadstairs , but nothing had settled . At Goodnestone short dapple of thawing snow sheltered in gutters , among rocks and between stacks of logs . The ground was boggy underfoot and we presently had mud midway up our legs . It was skilful to be out of our sanitised urban humans for a change .
We ’d expected to see snowdrops and aconites . These were present and correct , if not tightly poise against the stale weather condition , but it was the daphne that steal the show . Their lanky frames were weight down down by a profusion of richly aromatise flower , garlanding every branch . It was so chilly that we struggled to becharm the odour of sweet box or witch hazel , but not so the daphnes – their intoxicating fragrance carried as clean and clear on the air as a fine soprano . They were so adorable that I kept having to go back for another hearty snuff . ( Daphnes will tolerate chalk , the prevailing dirt type at Goodnestone , and so ought to do well in our Broadstairs garden too . )
Galanthus nivalis, the common snowdrop
An abundance of mature , winter - flowering shrubs , as well as colourful dogwoods and dear - coloured grasses suggests that Lady Fitzwalter design her forest garden as carefully for wintertime as she did for the outpouring , summertime and autumn . The famous wall garden are much quieter at this fourth dimension of year , bid their time until spring comes . Any action here is happening beneath the soil control surface .
With cold hands and ruddy faces we returned to the motorcar , passing up the chance of tea and cake for collect yet another encumbrance of log to keep our trio of woodburners roaring at house . Our first garden sojourn of 2017 under our belt , Him Indoors promulgate ‘ which one are we going to next then ? ’ . Having found that he had n’t suffered a cerebrovascular accident or some form of retentivity loss , I quickly suggested Sissinghurst and put a date in our journal . Opportunities like that do n’t come along very often .
Goodnestone Park ’s 2017 open day are as come after :
Goodnestone’s recent facelift has returned the main facade to its former glory
I recommend checkingthe garden ’s websitebefore making a special journey , just in case .
wish you a fabulous week ahead . TFG .
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A feisty, blood-orange witch hazel proves a winter garden need not be a dull garden
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family : Bulbs , Flowers , scent , Kentish Gardens , Other People ’s Gardens , Plants , Trees and Shrubs , Weather
Posted by The Frustrated Gardener
An early crop of salad leaves, protected by a polytunnel
Stacked logs provide shelter for wildlife and somewhere for snow to settle
Daphne bholua
Goodnestone’s earliest daffodils bloom in the shelter of an ancient sweet chestnut
Galanthus nivalis‘Flore Pleno’
