Jo's News and Views No2 February 2026

Hello Everyone

Well, Spring has definitely sprung and the garden is looking fabulous. All the Spring favourites are blooming so without further ado here is my selection for February. 

In the bed under the Prunus serrula on the Front Drive are these beautiful Hellebores, photo 1. Along the pathway into the garden are large clumps of Euphorbias, photo 2. I love the way the tips fall forward and nod when there is a breeze. Further along the path is this lovely Hamamelis x intermedia 'Jelena', a Witch Hazel. Photo 3 was taken on 4th February with it surrounded by snowdrops. Then 3 weeks later the coppery-orange flowers have started to appear, photo 4. They are just like big orange spiders, photo 5. 

In Tom Tiddlers Ground there was so much to see and enjoy. A Cornus mas has now appeared and it is covered in tiny yellow flowers, photo 6, and the ground all around is still covered with snowdrops, photo 7. From under the old Yew trees you can see the Tulip Terrace and the strange mounds growing there, photo 8. On closer inspection it is the protection from the squirrels for the Spring bedding, photo 9. They enjoy the tulips as much as we do! Around the corner on the Hollow Lawn the river of Crocuses is going from strength to strength, photo 10. 

Walking through the garden and along the path to the Rock Garden I always stop and admire the view. In early February the area was covered with snowdrops and crocuses, photo 11. Then later in the month the daffodils had taken over and it had become a sea of yellow, photo 12. On the bank there was this lovely mix of everything that is Spring, photo 13. I think the crocuses have done very well this year and are surprisingly robust despite their fragile appearance, photos 14, 15, 16 and 17. 

Then a walk around the Rock Garden. The waterfall with one clump of snowdrops appealed to me, photo 18. In fact there were still snowdrops everywhere, photo 19. Also here I found this lovely flower that I don't think I've shared before, the Petasites fragrans also known as Winter Heliotrope, photo 20. It is a source of early nectar for the bees. The Pulmonarias were everywhere too, photo 21. Walking back to the main garden there is a great view of the Metasequoia glyptostroboides, the Dawn Redwood, surrounded by daffodils, photo 22.