Monday 8 June 2015

Temple Newsam Gardens In June

I showed you around Temple Newsam Gardens in my Garden Visiting In December post but the photos I've got to show you today are very different from the ones you'll see in that post. In December, there wasn't very much interest in the borders but come May, and in to June, the rhododendrons are flowering and there's colour everywhere you look.

As we walked from the car park we could just see a first tantalising glimpse of the spectacle before us.


More colour to see as we got a little closer.


This is the very start of the rhododendron walk, there's a photo taken from the same place in my December post but I'm sure you'll agree it's very different now that the rhododendrons are blooming.


I think the rhododendrons are just starting to go over now, though they're still stunning to see. We've had lots of high winds just lately and many many petals have blown on to the floor.


I think these next photos can do the talking for themselves.






A few close ups.




We weren't the only ones enjoying the rhododendrons, can you see the bees drinking the nectar?



As well as rhododendrons, Temple Newsam Gardens also have borders filled with azaleas. All azaleas are rhododendrons but not all rhododendrons are azaleas. Confused? So am I. It can be very hard to distinguish an azalea from a rhododendron but some ways you can tell is that azaleas only have five stamens whereas other rhododendrons have ten or more and rhododendrons are evergreen whereas some, but not all, azaleas are deciduous.




As we walked down towards the lake we came to more azalea beds.


Even across the lake there are splashes of colour amongst the trees.


I absolutely love all the different greens and shapes around the lake.


At the side of the lake is a small grass garden. I'm not really in to grasses, I don't have any at all in my garden, but some of them are so tactile. I just can't help reaching out and touching them.



The gunnera is growing again by the side of the lake. The leaves are huge.


I've never looked underneath a gunnera plant before, I believe these are the flowers.


Also by the lake are these candelabra primroses, aren't they pretty?



There are lots of different hostas edging some of the beds, it's interesting to see how some varieties are more prone to slug damage than others.




A view from a bridge.


Although Temple Newsam Gardens are interesting throughout the year, I'm sure you can see why a trip there in May or June is just a little bit extra special.



26 comments:

  1. The rhododendrons are amazing aren't they, so many different colours and such pretty flowers on them. It is a shame that they don't last longer, but that is part of their beauty isn't it. The gunnera flowers are amazing aren't they, I am always intrigued by them. Glad you had a great time! xx

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    1. I think there's so many rhododendrons planted together here that they make a fantastic impact. It's like anything seasonal, worth the wait, if they were available the year round they wouldn't be anticipated as they are. Gunneras are fascinating, they're like something prehistoric. I've never looked underneath them before so I got quite a surprise when I did.

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  2. AnonymousJune 08, 2015

    What a wonderful colourful selection of pictures. I can indeed see why a trip there now is just a bit extra special. Flighty xx

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    1. It's like a kaleidoscope of colours. I'm so lucky to live so close to Temple Newsam, there's always something to see on every visit and lots of events taking place there too.

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  3. The rhododendrons are gorgeous. We walked through Mount Stewart gardens last week and there were lots of azeleas and rhododendrons in flower - and a lake with swans and cygnets.

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    1. It's a wonderful time of year for colour junkies. We saw ducks and ducklings on the lake at Temple Newsam, so cute.

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  4. The lake area is lovely Jo. Having just exposed a bit of boggy ground here I'm hankering after a gunnera. They do get big though!

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    1. I love the area around the lake, it's actually my favourite area of Temple Newsam. Gunneras are such fabulous plants, I'd have one without a thought if my garden was big enough, I'm sure you wouldn't have a problem fitting one in.

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  5. It looks absolutely wonderful, beautiful photos as well.

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    1. Thank you. We're so lucky to live so close, it's a place we visit very often, especially as Archie loves to go walking there.

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  6. Very impressive - and so different to the December views. That place reminds me of Exbury Gardens in the New Forest, which also specialises in Rhodos.

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    1. It's very different from December. We're lucky to have so many lovely gardens to visit in this country.

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  7. Stunning just absolutely stunning.

    May / June is a wonderful time to enjoy and appreciate the many flowers and different shades that nature offers.

    Perhaps we should take more time to enjoy these things? Although this is not always easy.

    All the best Jan

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    1. You're right, life goes by at such a fast pace these day that we often miss the beauty of nature. It's a wonderful time of year, so much is happening in the garden just now.

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  8. That was certainly the absolute perfect time for visiting! What a feast for the eyes, I loved it all. I have never seen gunnera flowers before either! That lake is gorgeous, the perfect spot for a picnic.xxx

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    1. My favourite area of Temple Newsam is down by the lake, I love the planting on the opposite side, so many different trees, all shapes and sizes, they just work perfectly together.

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  9. You're fortunate to live near Temple Newsam Gardens. It looks like a lovely place to take a walk with Archie. Lots of mature trees there I see and the rhododendrons look fabulous en masse. The other plants are interesting too. The candelabra primroses are pretty and the lakeland area is beautiful.

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    1. The grounds were landscaped by Capability Brown and are very picturesque. It's a place I've lived near all my life and we've had many family outings here, both as a child myself and then when I've had children of my own, I feel a connection to it somehow.

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  10. What beautiful rhododendron.........such stunning displays. I lost two of mine this year...so sad.

    love the colours.......

    obviously they do not have a slug problem........hosta look wonderful.

    Beautiful tour thank you.

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    1. The rhododendron walk attracts many visitors at this time of year, it's certainly stunning to see. What a shame you've lost two of yours this year, they're such wonderful, vibrant plants. A few of the hostas had a few holes but in the main they looked very good.

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  11. What absolutely fabulous colour Jo. Did you come across any scented rhododendrons there? We were garden visiting at the weekend and came across a couple of varieties that stopped us in our tracks.

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    1. I can't say that I noticed any scent but I may be wrong, the colour more than made up for that though.

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  12. Wow fabulous display of rhododendrons.. gorgeous colours.. great photos Jo :o)

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    1. There's a great selection of rhododendrons, lots of colours and so much to see at this time of year.

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  13. The rhododendrons are stunning - everything looks so incredibly full and lush! I'm also a sucker for hostas - I didn't realize that some varieties had more issues with slugs than others.

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    1. The rhododendron walk is definitely worth seeing at this time of year. It seems that the darker leaved hostas fare better with slug damage than the lighter leaved varieties do. I may be wrong though.

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