STAPENHILL GARDENS (Burton-on-Trent)

I expect that most towns have an area set aside as a "Public Gardens", for the Residents of that town to enjoy. Ours also is one of them, here In "Burton-On-Trent', In Staffordshire.

This is known as "Stapenhill Gardens", which is located just by the River Trent.

In April they have a "Tulip Festival" and this year the Gardens look outstanding again.

Full of Tulips & Primroses, in various colour shades and very Impressive it all looks.

The main feature is the "Swan", which has been part of the Gardens for Decades now.

Each year planted up with various plants and makes a good vocal point in those gardens.

Springtime

Photos above show that Spring finally did arrive in England!
The Daffodils, Tulips & Primroses all looked very colourful again after such a very cold & dreary Winter. The photo above with the Pond & Pot Containers, is a Garden I tend to nearby and it has been a blaze of Springtime colour . The landscaping of It I did over the last few seasons.
The Greenhouse view is my Greenhouse at present. Full of young bedding plants.
The Arbour & Pond , was the project I did last April & May. This year that Cottage garden should be more established too.

Chatsworth House visit,

April 15th.

Set in the Derbyshire countryside, Chatsworth House is a very popular destination for tourists.

Home of the Duke & Duchess of Devonshire.

The gardens are very well set out and they Include an Impressive water fountain and various sculptures around the gardens too. The Greenhouses were full of flowering Camelias on my visit and were as Impressive as the Greenhouses I'd seen at Kew Gardens in London a few years ago.

The Gardens were designed by Capability Brown and are very well cared for today.

The Cascade fountain is always popular with familes and the kids enjoy being in the water too.

The gift shop is very well stocked and there is a good resturant there too.

Parking was a bit difficult the day i went, though it was Easter Saturday afterall.

But I was suprised it was so busy, with the gardens not yet having too much colour.

Having had a late Spring here in England this year.

For more Information on Chatsworth, their website is www.chatsworth.org

Another good place to see is the nearby Farm Shop, in the village of Pilsley.

Plenty of fresh grown produce and much of it produced on the Chatsworth estate too.

Most gardens are now looking very Springlike, now that the Tulips & Daffodils are coming out.
These are a few of the flowers on my Garden.
Later than this time last year though!...as Spring arrived late here in the UK this time.
However, it does make a cheerful sight now and the weather warming up too, so colour should be a familier feature for the rest of the gardening season. My Bedding plants are growing nicely in my Greenhouse and I still need to get a few plants from the local nursery soon, for the Baskets & Containers, that i'll plant out in late May, or Early June. I need to get a few Fushias and Trailing Geraniums and also Margarites (Daisy type plants) In Yellow and Pink. They add height to Container displays.
I'll also soon buy some Growbags, to do a few Lettuce, Radish & Cucumbers, for Salads in summer. They will be In the greenhouse, after the bedding plants are taken out.

These are the Dwarf Minature Daffodils called "Jetfire", that I have in our Rockeries at home.

They are a stunning display at this time of year.

Best grown in groups to achieve this effect.

They seem to out last normal size Daffodils and don't get damaged by high winds, being only 8ins tall. Can also be grown in containers.

I plant these bulbs in October time. Though once in, they multiply over the years and do not need to be taken out again.

Now is the time the Spring flower bulbs are coming into bloom. Tulips & Daffodils, together with the early Azaleas, such as the one in the photo, a "Blue Tit" Variety.

The Plastic Urn also shows off some Purple Tulips.

A nice time of the year when everything is emerging again after the Cold Winter.

The temperatures seem to be Increasing slightly too in our area of The Midlands,UK.

I have also now started mowing the lawns again.