Spring is in full swing at Capel Manor Gardens. As the days get longer and we look forward to warmer weather, the Gardens are awash with flowering bulbs and tree blossoms, filling the estate with beautiful colours and fragrance. As you explore this April, look out for:
Tulip (Tulipa)
Thanks to the warm start to the year, our tulips are blooming ahead of schedule! With their vibrant colours and diverse species, our gardeners have been hard at work planting displays throughout the gardens in pots and beds which are now welcoming spring-time visitors.
Snake’s Head Fritillary (Fritillaria meleagris)
Popping up around the Gardens is a favourite flower of mid-late spring. Boasting an interesting chequered pattern on their nodding bell-shaped flowers, the petals resemble snake’s skin. The most common variety is purple flowers but there are pink and white varieties available. Look around partly shaded and woodland areas where they prefer to grow. Our most spectacular display can be found under the trees outside of the Walled Garden.
Crown Imperial (Fritillaria imperialis)
A species of flowering bulb in the lily family, find clusters of flowering crown imperials surrounding the Temple Lake. Available in a few vibrant colour shades you can find reddy-orange and bright yellow varieties in our Gardens. Crown Imperials have a unique fragrance that repels moles, mice and other rodents. The flower bells wear a crown of pointed leaves at the top of their long robust stems.
Apple Blossom (Malus domestica)
Flowering just before the leaves come back, the beautiful fragrant flowers of the apple trees are in full show. Step into the Walled Garden to see our impressive tree full of blossoms. Also a popular hedging shrub, the gardeners have trained the branches of other trees along walls and wire to border the fruit and vegetable beds. Aside from the popular apple fruits in autumn, the spring flowers have many uses which date back to medieval times. Apple blossoms have been used in traditional medicine, to treat skin conditions, in tea and used in cooking. Some of these uses still exist today, as well as being a popular fragrance used in soaps and perfumes.
Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora)
Magnolias are believed to be the earliest known flowering plants, with fossils dating back over 100 million years. They are a popular ornamental tree in either countryside and town gardens or courtyards. Stunning blooms range from pure white to blush pink and deep purple. They are hardy plants and will happily grow in tubs, in the ground or climb with support. Head to the Back Lawn of the Manor House to see three trees demonstrating different species in spectacular bloom. These are yet another variety of blooming shrubs, prized for their flowers that are used in traditional medicines and fragrances.
Shuttlecock Fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris)
Underneath the magnolia trees on the Back Lawn, see the unravelling leaves of the shuttlecock fern. The curling tops look similar to seahorses in shape, but most resemble a shuttlecock, hence their common name. A favourite of our gardeners, this native and hardy plant is a particularly attractive fern, very low-maintenance and will add interest to any bed in damp and shady areas.
Visit the Gardens this month and enjoy spring in all its colourful glory. Visit from Saturday 27 to Sunday 28 April, celebrate springtime at our Spring Walk event, where you can enjoy talks, tours and Morris dancing, as well as our 30-acre Gardens, mini zoo and our Café.
