Goldsborough Hall in the snow, January

January

Though January can be cold and dark, a few snowdrops and winter aconites are starting to emerge from the snow and frost. In and around the garden some blue iris reticulata are also in flower. The trees and bushes give the garden plenty of winter structure, allowing for plenty of frosty photographs.

Snowdrops in February at Goldsborough Hall

February

By mid-February the snowdrops are out in full and look magnificent. There are thousands under trees and in the woodland, many of very unusual varieties in the newly planted Snowdrop Walk. And also this month, the woodlands are awash with yellow winter aconites.

A few early tete a tete daffodils are out along with daffodil February Gold, and dusky pink and white hellebores. In the main urns and tubs the white crocus ‘snow bunting’ is starting to emerge.

The Hall will be open Snowdrop Days in February 2013. Please check back for the dates nearer the time.

Daffodils in the Lime Tree Walk, March

March

In March spring arrives with a vengence. All the early tete a tete daffodils are out now along with the large white crocus ‘Jeanne d’Arc’ in the main urns. A few hundred daffodils of the 50,000 that have been planted, are out in the Lime Tree Walk.

The dusky pink and white hellebores are in flower along with the sharp blue muscari. By the end of the month thousands of daffodils are flowering around the house, in the woodlands and in the Lime Tree Walk. The individual trees in the Lime Tree Walk were planted by Royalty throughout the 1920s when they came to visit Princess Mary. Plaques on the trees show show the dates when dignitaries such as George V and Queen Mary planted them.

The Hall will be open to visitors under the National Garden Scheme at the end of March 2013.

April

This month sees the emergence of the stunning blue scillas which come out under the Japanese cherry trees to the left of the house. These cherry trees themselves come into flower later this month. The muscari and hellebores also looking good this month and by early to mid-April the daffodils in the Lime Tree Walk are at their absolute best.

The beech arch comes out in May

May

The beech hedge which encloses the long borders starts to come out in early this month and is fully out by the second week of May. There are still some late daffodils in flower in the Lime Tree Walk, around the house and in troughs and urns.

Some roses also start to flower, especially the red and salmon roses by the Drawing Room window and along the walls. The fabulous pink and white peonies are out at the end of the month as well as some flowers in the long borders and the rose borders. At the end of the month the troughs and urns are replanted with summer bedding.

The peonies look magnificent in June

June

It’s finally summer and the long borders are starting to come into their own with a soft and subtle grey, blue and white tone with flashes of red lynchis. In flower are the white crambe, white/cream foxgloves, spires of blue delphiniums and Johnson’s blue geraniums.

Early this month the pink and white peonies are also looking their best. More and more soft pink roses are appearing in the rose borders (very old varieties of Old China Blush, Little White Pet and Comte de Chambord).

Roses and lavender, both out in July

July

By the start of this month the lavender surrounding the rose borders starts to flower (lavender Munstead and augustifolia ‘Old English’) and this continues to look fantastic well into the middle of the month while the roses in the centre go from strength to strength.

The long borders are starting to hot up with yellow helianthus and rudbeckia, scarlet monardas and red lynchis. The lily regale is out at this time, its pink outer layer matching perfectly with the filipendula rubra.

By mid-July the white everlasting sweet pea comes into flower along with more yellow single and double heleniums as well as the russet red of Moerheim Beauty. And by the end of the month the long borders are at their best.

The Hall will be open to visitors under the National Garden Scheme on 22nd July 2012.

Long borders are a riot of colour in August

August

The riot of colour in the long borders continues all the way through this month with red hot pokers ‘John Benary’, scarlet salvias, yellow rudbeckia, orange tiger and day lilies, white gypsophila and white lily longiflorum adding to the existing mix.

Fantastically fat dahlias start to flower by mid-August in white, yellow, scarlet and red along with lemon African marigolds and yellow and white snapdragons. The hot colours are tempered with the cool powder blue of clematis ‘davidiana’ at the top of the borders and the darker purple of clematis ‘jackmanii’ at the bottom.

The golden flowers of rudbeckia in September

September

The long borders still looking amazing throughout this month with spectacular dahlias, African marigolds, red hot pokers, yellow heleniums and rudbeckia and autumn helianthus.

With good weather and a sunny September the roses in the rose border will also continue to look strong.

Autumn leaves at Goldsborough Hall

October

Though autumn is on our doorstep, the long borders still look good with dahlias, red hot pokers, gypsophila and helianthus.

This month the summer bedding is replaced in the the urns and troughs with daffodils and crocus topped with pansies and violas, ready for next spring.

November frosts at Goldsborough Hall

November

If November is kindly and mild, the dahlias in the long borders will last until the first frosts. Amazingly some of the roses will last until the end of the month.

The big leaf clear up begins with all leaves being recycled into leaf bins dotted round the garden.

Goldsborough Hall clothed in December snow

December

Although the garden is quiet this month, many of the plants are not cut down and are kept for structure and height, perfect for frosty photographs. And who knows? If the last few years are anything to go by,  there might even be a white Christmas to give the gardens a truly magical appearance!