A Nature Lover's Eden

The Visitors' hub amongst native bluebells

“Our garden walk is a nature-lover’s Eden. In Spring it is golden with daffodils, and, as the gold fades, a blue sea of myriads of bluebells sweep in. There is always something to delight the eye.”

Professor Brown’s words jumped out of his book This Old House, when I spotted them earlier this week. How appropriate! This time of year, is my favourite time of year on the gardens at Betley Court. Its bluebell time, and we are blessed with thousands of native bluebells, Hyacinthoides non-scripta around the grounds and down towards the dingle. The bluebells were out the very first time I visited the gardens in 1993, and made a huge impression on me at the time. They reappear each year like old friends, and are a most welcome sight especially now, when the house itself is still so scarred from the fire.

Native bluebells - Hyacinthoides non-scripta

Elsewhere in the garden, periwinkle is in flower. Whilst I know that many gardeners find it a trifle too invasive in a garden setting, down by the pond where it grows on the banks, our periwinkle Vinca minor Atropurpurea provides a useful ground cover, helping to bind the sandy banks together. As its Latin binomial suggests, this variety has a distinctive purple flower, rather than the typical periwinkle blue flowers of V. minor. It’s a ‘good do-er’ as they say; it grows without any intervention from us, is tough and pest-free. What a winning combination!

Periwinkle - Vinca minor Atropururea

I came across this gem about periwinkles, from Apulius’ Herbarium, whilst reading Derek Jarman’s Modern Nature. It might come in useful for couples during the Coronavirus Lockdown!

“Periwyke, when it is beate unto powder with worms of the earth wrapped about it and with a hearbe called houslyck, it induceth love between man and wife if it be used in their meals”

I’m not quite sure what Nigel would think if I started serving periwinkle flowers with earthworm powder in houseleek wraps. I somehow doubt love would be in the air!

Melvyn's lovely fan step with the temple behind

Down at the visitors’ hub, Melvyn and Shane have been landscaping. There’s now a set of beautiful fan steps down to the main door of the building, and at the back the ground has been contoured to create a flat area we hope to seed with grass and wildflowers.

The landscaping behind the Visitors' hub, ready for planting

The plants I put in a few weeks ago are settling in, and starting to look at home. Later in the season, I’ll divide these to spread our woodland treasures out.

In the meantime, the gardens look splendid. It is such a shame that we can’t share them with the public at this time. I know that our residents appreciate them (hello M & P to mention two). It is very rewarding to keep the gardens going. It feels like putting on a brave face and meeting our oncoming challenges with a smile.

Ransoms (wild garlic) down by the bridge

Keep safe everyone

All best wishes

Ladybird Su