Dunham Massey winter garden

It's odd perhaps to think of  garden as a place to visit in winter, but Dunham Massey is one of those lucky places that have flowers, shrubs, and trees planted to look good in what you might consider a 'dead season'.

There are snowdrops, of course, hellebores, and aconites but also early flowering daffodils (though these were a little too far from the path to photograph with my phone).

Some of the trees have been deliberately picked for the appearance of their bark - cherry and dogwoods. 

There are scented shrubs like daphne and witch hazel, splendidly flowering camellias on the brink of breaking into blossom, and striking heads of hydrangeas.

All in all a lovely place to spend a (fortunately dry) January afternoon.

 

Dunham Massey

A trip north to visit my daughter was the perfect excuse to nip into Dunham Massey gardens. They're lovely at any time of year and the end of October brought a mix of autumnal leaves and summer flowers hanging on despite falling temperatures.

 

Lyme - rhododendrons

A trip up north to see my daughter gave me chance to stop off at Lyme again.

This time the rhododendrons were in full flower - around the sides of the Italian garden and on the far side of the lake.

It was a very hot day, so ice cream was needed, and a walk in the shelter of trees much appreciated.

Dunham Massey - autumn and getting ready for Christmas

A recent overnight visit to my daughter in Manchester gave me the opportunity to call in at Dunham Massey on my (not very direct) way home. I've been here in spring and summer but this was my first visit in autumn.

 For November, it was a glorious day, warm enough for sitting in the sun and only a cardigan needed to keep off any chill.

The flowers were mainly over, and some of the trees were starting to look a little bare, but as I expected there were still things to see - berries, the startling white trunks of silver birch, leaves of yellow or bright red, and a few flowers still hanging on.

What I hadn't expected to see was preparations for the Christmas lights events underway. I suppose they have to be put up by someone at some time, but I'd sort of imagined they went up by magic (or Santa's elves) overnight. It certainly gave some idea of the extent of planned illuminations - paths lined with candy canes and gingerbreadmen, a glade filled with snowdrops, nutcracker toy soldiers, archways of stars, and a pair of gigantic deer leading the way to a fairground. I'd love to be able to organise a trip back north to see them. Maybe next year ...