Royal Surrey Day 2 -The Savill Garden

 Following on from a delightful day 1, our second day's outing was to The Savill Garden which forms part of the Windsor Estate and is absolutely one of my favourite gardens.  I do recall visiting it when I was quite young, however it surpassed all expectation, and should I have the opportunity to visit it again, I would jump at the opportunity.  

Considering it had been so dry, they had made the most of their own lakes using water to irrigate sensitive parts of the garden.  However the dry garden was having to work for its name and there was much there to inspire.  As this was a 'holiday' and I was very much aware that it was a holiday for the two of us, it was very much a companionable time together walking to all the corners of the garden, rather than an in depth plant admiration tour.  I took just a few pictures and caught only a few of the names.

The plantings of different varieties of Ophiopogon under some of the trees near the New Zealand Garden were very effective, and I particularly like the Ophiopogon Japonicus minor.  Just how many small clumps did they plant? 

Ophiopogon Japonicus minor

Being very shade and dry tolerant'  they made very effective ground cover...

Ophiopogon intermedius argenteomarginata

In the vicinity of the Summer garden stood this large magnificent tree.  We could not but be drawn to it.  With its dark profile and branches reaching the ground, it formed a good focal point along the wide grass avenue

Savill Garden - Podocarpus Salignus

The raised bed gravel mulched beds had several plants which drew my attention such as this Luma apiculata 'Nana'.

Luma apiculata 'Nana'

The Queen Elizabeth Temperate House had some delightful plant combinations, with everything very well maintained and the plants well looked after.

Our walk around The Summer Wood was made all the more interesting for all the woodland planting under the trees, as well as display in beds of various forms of Hydrangea Paniculata with single variety beds showing off the form and structure of these to great advantage. There is a good cultivar selected at the Savill Gardens called Hydrangea paniculata 'Savill Lace', though I don't think it is the one below.

I think one would need at least two consecutive days in the gardens to do them justice, and that is before taking into consideration that visits at different times of the year would highlight different groups of plants.  

Of course I have not forgotten that the park land around our hotel had some beauties, and after a rest we took a late afternoon stroll and will post some pictures of The Elvetham Hotel another time.