A Sunny day at last

I made an impromptu visit to Wisley yesterday; it was an unexpectedly sunny day, and the ground was bursting into life. I don't have time for a detailed traveloque; there weren't many people around the garden, but there was a steady stream heading for the new glasshouse which is full of butterflies at the moment (and photographers). No pictures from there I'm afraid - it was too steamy hot and busy, and I didn't want to wait while my camera de-fogged.

My trip round the garden started on Battleston Hill, with a few early rhododendrons, and the witch-hazel in full bloom.

Meconopsis napaulensis
The frost was just melting from the leaves of this meconopsis.

Cyclamen coum
Of course, underfoot there were big patches of snowdrops, and cyclamen coum.

The Meadow and Rock Garden
The bulbs in the bank above the meadow and rock garden have also woken up, and the ground was a mass of Crocus tommasianus, Galanthus, and one memorable patch of Iris George.

The Alpine House
A quick look at the bones of the new crevice garden, and then into the Alpine House, full of crocuses, hepaticas and Narcissus romieuxii.

Crocuses
Crocus biflorus ssp. isaurensis, C. sieberi Firefly, C. Goldilocks, C. tommasianus Wisley Wine and C. chrysanthus E.P.Bowles.

Hepaticas
A variety of selected forms of Hepatica nobilis var japonica and var magna.

Narcissus romieuxii
There were many pots of Narcissus romieuxii in different shades of yellow and cream, and white (ssp. albidus).

Finally, Saxifraga x. poluanglica Miluj Mne, planted out amongst lumps of tufa in the Alpine House

The Woods
The wooded area at the bottom of the rock garden was also full of flowering shrubs (witch-hazel and Viburnum Charles Lamont) and spring bulbs (Crocus tommasianus and Eranthis hyemalis, as well as lots of Galanthus).

Orchids in the Glasshouse

Now into the glasshouse, where I focused on the orchids (in a cooler area, rather than the steamy conditions the butterflies are in).

Barkeria lindleyana

Dendrobium

Dendrobium (I think this is a white form of kingianum)

Dendrobium Falcon Star grex

Dendrobium Sun Sprite

Dendrobium x. gracillimum Wisley

Dendrochilum (?) glumaceum

Laelia anceps

Brassia... ???

Paphiopedilum

A few Paphiopedilum...

P. Argyll

P. insigne

P. Supersuk grex

and two more I didn't get the name of

More orchids
Some more I couldn't see the labels of.

Glasshouse - Arid Area
A few unidentified shrubs etc from the arid area of the glasshouse.

And a tree-fern. Outside Chimonanthus praecox var luteus, Daphne bholua Jacqueline Postill and an unknown shrub.

That's about it folks.

I hope the pictures are OK - I deliberately left my tripod at home so I would focus more on enjoying the day and the garden, and less on taking perfect photos.

The show season is now upon us, so expect some more pictures after the Caerleon Show on Saturday.