What to see in early spring at Furzey

There are signs of spring everywhere around the gardens and as our plants respond to the warmth, the gardens really come alive with beautiful blooms, fresh foliage and birds, bees and insects aplenty.

Early spring displays of snowdrops and crocus with their delicate blooms gradually give way to colourful displays from daffodils in the borders and some of our trees and shrubs.

Yellow crocus amongst snowdrops at Furzey Gardens

Bursting into life with a bounty of blooms is our glorious selection of old magnolias, which includes kobus and stellata species which were planted back in the 1930s. Elsewhere, one of our oldest and largest specimens Rhododendron Macabeanum, first planted in the gardens in the late 1920s, offers a show of bright yellow flowers among silver foliage.

Also in bloom are a selection of camellias including Camelia Saluensis, which can be seen as you walk up from the lake.

March is also the perfect time to enjoy the abundance of small flowers on our corylopsis pauciflora.

These tiny yellow blooms are a delight for bees who can be seen making the most of the sustenance following a long cold winter.

Small yellow flowers of Corylopsis Pauciflora

Another highlight to relish are the delicate purple hues of our winter heather beds, including erica darleyensis ‘Furzey’, a named variety from the pre-war period.

For those of you who are looking for delicious scents you will not be disappointed. We currently have a beautiful selection of Witch Hazel Hamamelis, these emit a spicy, almost tangarine like, scent which has to be smelt to be believed. Later in spring the tiny yellow flowers of the azara microphylla produce a delicate chocolate and vanilla scent which drifts across the garden on a sunny day.

Over the winter the team have been pruning, cutting back and clearing areas to allow for new growth. This has been a great opportunity to open up views of some of our thatched structures such as Elf Bower and Typhoon Tower.