Sculptures & Horticulture at Sir Harold Hillier Gardens (Part One)

As it's a miserable spring day, and my chores are complete, I thought I would sit down (on my sofa - naturally!) with a cuppa and write a short post on a recent visit I made with a couple of friends to the beautiful Sir Harold Hillier Gardens near Romsey.  I've called this 'Part One' because, with 180 acres I'm not sure it's possible to cover it all in one visit, so I will be making a return trip at some stage in the not too distant future!

This giant fir cone is one of five botanical willow sculptures by Tom Hare currently on display at the gardens.

These were beautiful - in 3 or 4 different colours - the white ones were my favourite.

We turned round and spotted these 2 cute chickens perched on a a post!

This Eucalyptus tree was quite striking - and very tactile (see where lots of people have rubbed their hands over the bark on the right hand side!)

The pond area was so tranquil.  The were a couple of sculptures here too.  Hard to see on the picture below but this piece in the middle of the pod caught the wind and changed direction like a shoal of fish - beautiful!

Ferns just beginning to unfurl in dappled shade.

This was one of a series of lovely coloured glass and mirror mosaics (shame about the cable ties securing it to the tree!).  This one alluded to Gaudi (its actual name escapes me) but the style of the roses also reminded me of Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

The new leaves on these trees were so pretty!

The 'wisteria season' is almost over, but not quite!

Near Jermyn's House there are a few white Carrara marble sculptures ............. 

After walking up through Magnolia Avenue, we crossed the road and went into an area called Spring Walk which was packed full of fantastic rhododendrons in every colour!  There were also camellias in that area, but they were just about finished when we visited.

Some rhododendrons were just waking up .........

.........whilst others were a bit further on

This reminded me of the Flambouyant Tree in Antigua -
I love the orange against the blue sky!
Mother Nature does it again!

And some, like this one below, were scented - who knew?!

Snow Drift

Finally, a few more sculptures ........

And it's still raining!  Time to rustle up something hearty and warming I think - it's not barbecue weather unfortunately ............

Thanks for stopping by!

Spring has sprung!

Just a quick post .......I've had a lovely couple of hours out in the sunshine today tidying up the garden in readiness for a few new plants .  Actually, just one flower bed and it's so wet it took me back to my childhood and playing with mud pies but there's something quite rewarding and therapeutic about gardening and I'm hoping that if I put the work in now, there will be less to do as the weather improves and I can just sit and enjoy it with a glass or cup of something appropriate for the time of day. 

While I was out there, I took a few pics and here's what is currently in flower .......

Some kind of blossom - have to confess, I have no idea what this is but the bullfinches love it (and pigeons when the berries grow!)

Lots of primulas and primroses this year ...........

And a few tulips (my favourites!)

Some miniature hellebores ......so pretty and old fashioned

Lots of bergenia  (good for shade - we have lots of that too) ..........

A couple of ribes  (great............ grow anywhere - we're on clay)    

  

 

                            And a few forsythias (or, as my sister calls it - Brucies!)

I posted this one on Instagram yesterday but this post wouldn't be complete without including my beautiful camellia given to me by a friend a few years ago.  It's taken a while but it has been fantastic for the last couple of years so I think she (she was christened "Camille") is finally happy in her surroundings!

Here she is in all her glory, although the photo doesn't quite do it justice.........

I also checked out the pots on the terracing that we had done last year and was so pleased to see the hostas are coming back, the first year I've been able to grow them 2 years running.  Now I just have to keep the slugs away!

The cat joined us for coffee (he didn't have coffee, obviously!) but he's a sociable soul and if we're out in the garden, so is he!

I'm writing this from the conservatory with a cup of tea and I had to include a picture of my amaryllis - I realise most people's have been and gone by now, but mine was obviously a late developer!  However, like all good things in this life, it was worth waiting for!

Bye for now!  x x