Jane Shankster 2/29/24 Jane Shankster 2/29/24

Crocus time

when you come across a lawn of crocuses in their tricolour array of white, yellow and purple it can stop you in your tracks

I used to be a bit dismissive of crocuses, not really worth the effort I thought. But an amazing display in my local park last year changed my mind.

Snowdrops are exciting because there’s almost nothing else in flower at the time. But they’re white and you have to get down on your hands and knees to see them. Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s worth the effort, but when you come across a lawn of crocuses in their tricolour array of white, yellow and purple it can stop you in your tracks.

Crocuses are easy to grow. They don’t mind sun or a bit of shade, as long as the soil isn’t too wet in winter. They do well under deciduous trees as the have finished flowering by the time the trees have leafed-up. They also look good in grass and as they die back earlier than daffodils they don’t interrupt your mowing regime as much.

Although crocuses are very tolerant of the vagaries of British weather they will only open up in the sun. They are an early source of nectar and are magnets for bees on warm sunny days. And they can have a tendency to keel over in heavy rain.

Introduced to Britain by the Romans, the saffron crocus, Crocus sativus, was used as a dye. There are over 200 named varieties of crocus. Their taxonomy (classification) is complex and has changed many times since the Romans.

We are used to seeing crocus as small bright pops of colour in our gardens but some gardens showcase them in style by planting literally thousands (maybe hundreds of thousands). One of the most magnificent spectacles is at Ham House in London.

Even the most meticulous plans can experience the odd hiccup however.

If you haven’t got acres to show off your crocuses they look pretty good in pots, especially when combined with other early spring bulbs. I found all these at Sissinghurst just before the first lockdown.

Crocuses also come in yellow by the way, I just don’t seem to have many photos of them.

The cooler weather means crocuses will still be looking good for a couple of weeks yet. Some good places to see them:

Ham House - free with a National Trust card

Sissinghurst - also National Trust

Kew Gardens - naturally

Inkpen Crocus Field in Berkshire

Jane Shankster 8/2/23 Jane Shankster 8/2/23

Ham House

It’s been a few years since my last visit to Ham House. This time, amazingly, I went in the house and had a quick whizz round. Lots of paintings and tapestries, fab windows and staircase and really good views of the surrounding 30 acres. Mature trees mean you can’t see the Thames even though it’s only a stone’s throw away.

Ham House was built in 1610 by Thomas Vavasour, an Elizabethan courtier to James I. It was then leased, and later bought, by William Murray, a close friend and supporter of Charles I. The house achieved its greatest period of prominence following his daughter Elizabeth's second marriage—to John Maitland, Duke of Lauderdale.

The design of the garden was considered as important as that of the house and has a strong French influence. There are formal avenues of trees radiating out from the house and the garden is divided into a number of smaller, though still very large by modern standards, walled areas.

The property was donated to the National Trust in 1948 but renovation of the gardens did not begin until 1975. The works have focused mainly on the Wilderness, the kitchen garden, known as the Orangery, grass squares called The Plats and the Cherry Garden. In recent years there has been a concerted effort to increase biodiversity with large areas of the grounds planted with wild flowers.

In early August the most interesting features are the Cherry Garden and the Kitchen Garden. The latter is the most recent to be renovated and the focus is on producing fruit and vegetables for the cafe and flowers for the house. By no means does this cover the whole of the original Orangery garden.

The garden is laid out in a grid pattern with corners often marked with these topiaried variegated hollies and many of the paths are lined with lavender or teucrium.

The garden was buzzing with wildlife, mainly bumble bees and butterflies (I spotted Red Admiral, Large White and skippers). This pigeon was helping itself to the borage.

I don’t know if it was just the time of year or a deliberate design intention but the kitchen garden was overwhelmingly orange and purple - Hemerocallis, Calendula, Dahlias, Lavender, Agastache, Teucrium, Salvias - and it was very effective. The orange-red brick amplified the effect.

In contrast, the Cherry Garden is a lesson in restraint, definitely a less is more approach. Although the layout of pleached tree avenues and parterre of box topiary and lavender is very 17th century French in style, all is not as it appears.

Archeological investigations in the 1980s showed no signs of a formal garden on this side of the house. Happily the National Trust has decided to keep this as a formal garden rather than be puritanical about keeping to the 17th Century design.

It is a designated as a quiet space and the limited palette of plants - pleached limes, yew hedges, box topiary and lavender - was very restful and quite modern in feel. The structure and evergreens mean this would still be a still place even in winter.

The slanting sun in late afternoon in the second half of summer gave all the edges a silvery glow, almost, but not completely, caputured in my photos.

I didn’t try the cafe although it looked very nice, situated in the kitchen garden. No doubt the fare is standard NT stuff.

There’s also a second hand bookshop (quite good, but not as extensive as the one at Mordern Hall Park). There seemed to quite a few outdoor activities for children but most seemed to be having fun just running around.

There’s parking at Ham Street Carpark or you might get lucky and park for free on Ham Street. It’s a bit of a schlep from a railway station.

If you’re out for the day you’re just a short walk from The Palm Centre (access via Cut Throat Alley….). and Petersham Nurseries (more restaurant than nursery).

Thanks to Wikipedia for a potted history.