Spring Gardens
The Hornbeam Walk
Conceived in 2011 and officially opened by David Cameron in June 2012, our Hornbeam Walk was originally designed as a walkway flanked by 60 Hornbeam trees. This project will mature over the next 8 years as the trees to develop, creating an enclosed walkway leading to the Summer House. Whilst the Hornbeams are maturing the walkway takes the form of a 72 metre double flower border.
Designed as a year-round garden over the next 6 months the Hornbeam Walk will come alive in a variety of guises, with different plants coming into flower throughout the year.
The early colour of the Hornbeam Walk begins in the middle of April with splashes of yellow and green. Sedums begin to emerge from the ground with their succulent leaves, whilst a wide range of Narcissi provide a host of yellow tones.
By the time June comes around all of our garden’s spring plants are erupting into colour. Salvia ‘ostfriesland’s’ spire-like throng of purple flowers mix with the pastel yellow bells of Digitalis ‘carrillion,’ to form a uplifting combination of forms. The deep red/purple centred leaves of Euphorbia ‘cornegia’ are delightfully set amongst the new, lighter, spring greens of the emerging Asters and the spiraling Phlomis ‘russeliana’. Flanking rows of plants flow either side of the path to create a vista of purple and yellow extending ahead. This colourful structure is bound together with 4 diagonal banks of giant Alliums; ‘giaganticam’ and ‘mars’ with their huge purple balls of color.
As June progresses the plants continue to grow. Those closest to the path spill over the border in a cascade of colour. Geraniums ‘wlassoviunum’ and ‘anne thomson’s’ delicate purple forms float softly alongside you, as you make your way towards the summer house at the foot of the Hornbeam Walk.
