Bedgebury prepares for winter

Winter colour in the dwarfs by the dog kennel.



Tiny fungi growing on one of the smallest of our NCCPG National Collections of Lawson Cypress. This one is called Chamaecyparis lawsonian 'Green Globe'. It was grown as a cutting in 1980 and is no bigger than a football even now. You can find it next to the gate by the dog kennel.




Spiders webs on the dwarf Picea abies next to the pond up from Marshall's Lake.



Beautiful white buds on Pinus thunbergii 'Thunder Head' at the end of Lady Mildred's Carriageway.



This Viburnum farreri at the end of Lady Mildred's Carriageway flowers in winter on naked stems and they are beautifully scented - have a sniff.

Towards the end of autumn

A blaze of rich autumn colour on Acer palmatum 'Coonara Pygmy' - an excellent compact form of the Japanese Maple.




Tree team member Sean Lewis flail collecting. This is done each year towards the end of autumn to encourage the growth of wild flowers.




Bedgebury Pinetum is the holder of the NCCCPG Yew Collection. This tree (Taxus baccata 'Fructo Lutea') is the golden-fruited form of our native yew.




Pedro Leo Lobos, curator of the National Seed Bank in Chile, standing alongside a young Fitzroya cupressoides (Alerce). Pedro was in charge of our expedition to Chile, so it was great to be able to show him some of the conservation work we undertake at Bedgebury.




Autumn colour in Dallimore Valley





Male cones on the Deodar (Cedrus deodara) releasing the pollen that will fertilise next year's cones.





A good crop of holly berries. These will provide a valuable food source for many of Bedgebury's feathered friends over the winter months.





A fantastic range of colours produced by the leaves of the Sweet Gum (Liquidambar styraciflua) which is often confused with the maple tree. It differes in having corky bark and the branches are alternate rather than opposite. Also, unlike maples, it doesn't have winged fruits.





A lovely specimen of the Sweet Gum (Liquidambar styraciflua) in full autumn colour in Dallimore Valley (just down from the Wellingtonias).





The golden yellow Ginkgo leaves are looking amazing at the moment. The Ginkgo originates in China, but we don't know whether it still occurs in the wild. On our trip to China in 2008 we saw some fantastic specimens planted in the grounds of monestaries. It is one of the most pollution-tolerant trees, commonly planted as a street tree around the world. These are almost always male trees, however, as the fruits on the female trees smell absolutely disgusting!!! Ginkgo can grow to a massive size, but there are now dwarf and slow-growing varieties ideal for the garden.




One of the young Ginkgos growing in Dallimore Valley. The largest specimens we have are growing in the area between the dwarf conifer collection and the Glory Hole.



Witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) flowers in winter.

Autumn at Bedgebury

The leaves are starting to turn as Autumn puts on its beautiful display in the National Pinetum over the next few weeks.

Conifers provide a perfect green backdrop for the spectacular autumn colour. Look out for the bumper crop of berries and cones. The cold winter and lack of spring frost has resulted in a 'mast' year (contrary to popular belief, an abundance of berries doesn't necessarily mean a hard winter to come). While natural regeneration happens all the time, we generally get the best results if we propagate from collected seed, as we carefully document its origin and ensure wherever possible that we use seeds from different locations and habitats in order to create a broad gene pool.

Late summer

11th June

The superb spring continues into early summer. The late flowering Rhododendrons are starting to tail off, but the baton has been picked up by many others trying to outdo each other. Starting on the bank opposite the visitor centre, you cant fail to miss the deep purple red of the Smoke Bush (Cotinus ‘Grace). Just up behind them are a small group of Cornus kousa (Japanese Strawberry Tree) covered in white flowers (some pinky). Also look out for them in Autumn as they turn a fantastic rich crimson. If we are lucky they might fruit as well, producing strawberry-like fruit (hence the common name). These were only planted in 2006 - there are some slightly older specimens also covered in flower on the left-hand side of the big Leyland hedge.



Carrying on down Dallimore Valley on the bank to the right of the Leyland hedge (just by the turning towards Marshalls Lake) there are three Horse Chestnuts in flower (Aesculus x dallimorei). These are the first plants I grafted (back in 2003). The original plant material came from a grafted tree in Kent prior to 1956, but it is the name that's of particular interest - it's named in honour of William Dallimore, the first curator of the Pinetum. He laid out the original collection in 1925. Dallimore was also the first arborist at Kew Gardens and has written some very important books on pruning, conifers and hollies (and had a valley named after him at Bedgebury!). There is also a recently cultivar of Ash named by Kew Fraxinus ‘William Dallimore - a selection with fantastic deep purple Autumn colour. We have a small example on the top of the bank opposite the visitor centre.

Carry on around Marshalls lake passing the last of the Rhododendrons in flower over the bridge. Around to the right along the edge of the stream are the Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia) from eastern North America. Clusters of pink flowers are covering the plants at the moment. Before they are fully open they look like iced gems.

The native plants are doing equally well. The last of the bluebells have now gone and it is the turn of the orchids to take centre stage. Odd spikes of pink/white and purple can be seen in the longer grass areas around the site. These are the Common Spotted Orchid (Dactylorhiza fuscsii), named for the spots on the leaves. If you take a close look at the spikes you can see the are made up of many tiny beautiful flowers. If you are really lucky you might spot a Bee Orchid (Ophrys apifera). In and around the ponds the Yellow Iris (Iris pseudacorus) are also looking really good.