Redcroft Garden Opening

The garden opening is looming. The weather has been beautiful – some plants are flowering ahead of schedule, some are over prematurely, some are yet to perform. Such are the anxieties of opening the garden. At the moment it looks good and the tidying process is in full swing, although it seems that attitudes have changed so much that a weed here or there can happily be described as a wild flower. Here are some photos of a selection of the current displays.The purple acers with their fresh, beautifully coloured leaves and many different rhododendrons bring the rockery to life. This view across the pond, with the croziers of the royal fern unfurling in the foreground, is one I seem to photograph every year.

The many pots of tulips which have managed to avoid the winter perils of mice and squirrels, are at different stages, but some may be over by next weekend. This is the brightest of them, but I don’t know the name of it as the bulbs have been wrongly labelled by the bulb supplier. These have been open for several weeks now and may well have to be moved out of the limelight for next Sunday.

It is lovely to see this Enkiathus palabini with so many flowers.

Enkiathus palabini

Flowering well for the first time is Magnolia ‘Gold Star’, a recent addition.

Magnolia ‘Gold Star’

Lamium obovata is a very good plant for difficult, dry or shady places, but doesn’t always provide a quick solution. These ones were planted a couple of years ago and only now is there a good show of the flowers.

Lamium obovata.

These blue Camassia leichtlinii do well in the long grass as here, and are at their best now, but they fade rather quickly.

Piptanthus nepalense is a tall shrub which provides a splash of yellow from the back of the border. It clings on to its pods of seeds and is easy to propagate.

Piptanthus nepalense

There should be a good display in the greenhouse but it is still a bit of a shambles with old pots all over the place. It is full with many not quite hardy plants, and last year’s argyranthemums which will be put out in the garden for the big day. There are also quite a few geraniums and this one is an old plant, not cut very far back for the winter, so in full flower now.

Details of the garden opening are:

Redcroft, 23 Murrayfield Road, Edinburgh EH12 6EP.

Open on Sunday 10th May, 2 -5pm.

Entry £6, dogs on leads, children free and very welcome. Tea with home baking, Plant Sale and No Strings Attached Wind Band will play.

Anna hopes to see you on the 10th but if you can’t come then they are open by appointment for the whole of May. Just ring 07989977701 or email annabuxtonb@aol.com But no tea or plant sale and no band unless you visit on the 10th May.

All photos taken recently at Redcroft.

Note from Pam:  Anna opens her garden as part of Scotland’s Garden Scheme.  She is a long standing member of The Caley and her garden is well worth a visit even if you have visited before.