The saying April showers bring May flowers has certainly rung true this year. Colour now seems to be everywhere which means longer, warmer evenings spent in the garden are nearly upon us. But, for those who have not already started to get their outdoor space ready, fear not, there’s still time. Fortunate enough, the month of May always leaves us with plenty of inspiration and, with the RHS Chelsea Flower Show just around the corner, we’ve been dreaming of towering topiary, botanical borders and bursts of bright colours.
So, what can you do to get your garden ready for summer?
Our gardens are considered by many to be another ‘room’ to your home, so it’s easy for landscape schemes become as important as choosing the colour of our kitchen units. The garden is a place to entertain family and friends, enjoy the wildlife they attract, or space for the children to play. So, whether you have ambitious plans or want to keep your space simple and elegant, a spring clean is always a good place to start.
Once your space is tidy, you can get to something more exciting – designing your garden. The choices are endless too. Adding flowers can bring new scents, a vegetable patch can be rewarding or an orchard can give you beautiful blankets of blossom from year to year. But, if you don’t have acres of grounds to play with, the smallest garden can still look truly beautiful with just a little bit of creativity. It can be as simple as filling hanging baskets full of colour, stuffing window boxes full of sweet smelling herbs or simply placing some pots on your patio to pack with colourful blooms.
So, if you’re not attending the RHS Chelsea Flower Show this year but you still want some inspiration, we’ve picked five houses with truly glorious gardens:
In springtime, the grounds at Dunsborough Park, which extend to 80 acres, are overcome with colour. Over 20,000 tulip bulbs are planted every year in intricately considered planting designs for their annual tulip festival instigated by the current owners. It is truly a spectacular sight.
There’s not many boxes the gardens at Philliswood Farmhouse doesn’t tick. Cleverly spilt into a series of rooms, the scents and colours are a feast for the senses.
Every aspect of Linton Park is mesmerising from its grand interiors to its Grade II* listed gardens and grounds.
An elegant late Georgian country home set amid beautifully curated gardens. Our favourite part is the partly walled borders stocked with numerous roses.
Kites Farm is a beautiful honey-coloured period home that comes with seven acres of glorious countryside just outside Bath to call your own.
