Prepare for an explosion of colour!
Someone got the memo at last – we’re definitely seeing some lovely weather now spring nudges into summer.
As all gardeners know, this is one busy season to ensure outdoor spaces look their colourful best for the (hopefully) warmest months of the year as we head to the longest day (summer solstice) on the 21st.
For us, this means finishing planting up the two Totally Tropical Beds on the Terrace. We’ll be adding Brahea armata palms and tropical foliage, including many houseplants, to provide that holiday vibe.
Summer bedding will be added to the Terrace and car park – this year, it will be a vibrant display that will include marigolds, salvia, canna, pennisetum and black-leaved sweet potatoes. And in the urban garden, we’ll be planting tender fruit, vegetables and herbs.
Finally, we’ll be planting cacti and other succulents on the Terrace, for the 50th consecutive year. It’s definitely a great tradition to continue here.
June is traditionally the month when roses come into their own. However, over the last few years we’ve noticed they haven’t bloomed fully until July, so let’s see what happens this year. Head to the Rose Garden to find out how these beautifully scented shrubs are coming along.
The magnificent Rhododendrons and azaleas were also late this year by about three weeks. This means when you visit this month you still have a chance to catch them in the Rhododendron Garden and Azalea Walk – they’ve been particularly beautiful this year.
We’ll be cutting the lawns regularly this month, too, and will also be watering lots of the newly planted areas if this drier spell continues.
If the Government doesn’t change its plans to open up fully on June 21, we’ll also be looking forward to opening the Butterfly House.
We always enjoy seeing your photos of your trips to the Gardens on social media, so please keep them coming! Tag us or post to our Twitter, Facebook and Instagram pages and let us know what you have enjoyed in particular on your visit here. We look forward to seeing you all this month.