Trip to Hodsock

Last Sunday, I had my annual trip to Hodsock to look at the snowdrops with two good friends I used to work with. It was a showery day but once we arrived, the showers stayed away. The wood is a lot more open now and there has been a good deal of clearance and management, which I think must encourage the snowdrops as they receive more light.

The photo above shows the earliest narcissus I have seen in flower, with some of the larger snowdrops, possibly S Arnott or Elwesii.

The cyclamen coum were also flowering away happily, unlike the ones in my containers at home which have been sulking ever since the December snow.

I really liked the witch hazel in the photo above as it had a more lemon colour rather than the usual gold. I think it was 'Pallida' and the colour showed up beautifully, particularly from across the other side of the lawn. Unfortunately, tempted though I was to buy one, I really don't have room for it!

This trip always signals the start of the garden visiting season for me and I look forward to it every year. I was very pleased with the photos I took too, especially as it was cold and my fingers went numb several times!