Westonbirt Arboretum

Ok, strictly speaking not a "Garden" (unless you're an Ent of course) but a couple of days ago we paid a visit to Westonbirt Arboretum. Lovely sunny day, and full of spring blossom and newly forming buds. Well worth a visit but for the next couple of days you may need to keep a watchout for roads full of horse boxes as the Badminton Horse Trials are taking place nearby (what crimes are they accusing the poor creatures of I wonder ).

Here's a few photos of the blossom:











More to follow....

 

While the rhododendrons, camelias and magnolias attract attention by the sheer size of their flowers, there's plenty of other things to see if you let your eyes wander:

Wood anenomes:




??

Colours of spring:


Fill the sky with Pink Prunus:


And the fresh young buds of leaves and flowers ....





And looking after it all is this old Ent:

 

Lovely pictures Hsuh, I bet the tree has seen some history down the years.

 

Amazing pics Hsuh

 

I've been in the Autumn. Amazing colours, of course, but I was staggered by the number of people there too - its big enough that they all spread out, but the number of cars in the car park was staggering ...

 

The first time we tried to visit in autumn it was a weekend and the traffic was queuing for a couple of miles before the entrance to the arboretum so we turned round and came home (only about 10 miles fortunately). These days we go on a weekday and it's not so bad. Still busy (last year we estimated more than a thousand cars when we were leaving in the early afternoon) but as you say it's such a large area that the crowds dissipate amongst the trees.

 

Thanks Sheal

Some of Westonbirt's history from their website http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/INFD-6XDCU8:

....

1840 Robert Holford acquires Silk Wood and cuts four principle rides through the wood. One of these was likely to have been Willesley Drive.

Early 1850s Robert Holford embarked on a major landscaping scheme that included with associated clump and individual tree planting. This constitutes the beginnings of the arboretum.

1854 Two Wellingtonias are planted by Mr and Mrs Holford. They were one foot high when planted, and cost £8 each.
...

1914-18 Part of Lodge Avenue (now Jacksons Avenue) is felled to facilitate flying by Royal Australian Flying Corps based at Leighterton.

1922 (August) Stay of HRH Queen Mary.
...

1939-45 Westonbirt Arboretum is requisitioned by the Air Ministry for use during WWII. It is said British fighter planes were kept from view amongst the trees of the Old Arboretum.

1956 Westonbirt Arboretum is given over to the Forestry Commission.

 

Wonderful