May is usually the month when spring gives way to summer, but given the unseasonably cold weather we’ve been experiencing over the last few weeks, it almost feels as if we’re still waiting for Spring itself to kick into gear! You can tell how cold it’s been by the fact that the garden team haven’t really broken out their shorts yet and are still coming into work in their long trousers!

Once the temperatures do pick up, May is one of the key months for us in the garden here at Leonardslee. It is the month when the big explosion of Rhododendrons and Azaleas that we’ve all been waiting for should finally happen. Areas like the Loderi Garden, Coronation Garden, The Dell and all of the paths in between will be a riot of colour at some point in May. Having only been here since January, I for one am really looking forward to my senses being assaulted by this floral kaleidoscope of colour. I’m going to make a beeline for the Coronation Garden first and foremost, as it contains a specimen of virtually every Loderi and Leonardslee hybrid of Rhododendron, including rare examples such as ‘Spearmint’ and ‘Game Chick’.

Another important plant for the garden and our visitors in May is the bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta). The Bluebell Banks are still a carpet of bluebell foliage as I write this but we’re hoping that all our work back in Winter when we cleared years’ worth of leaves from these banks and others will really pay off soon. I have noticed quite a few Wood Anemones popping up in these areas already though, which as one of my favourite woodland plants, fills me with joy.

Another important plant for the garden and our visitors in May is the bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta). The Bluebell Banks are still a carpet of bluebell foliage as I write this but we’re hoping that all our work back in Winter when we cleared years’ worth of leaves from these banks and others will really pay off soon. I have noticed quite a few Wood Anemones popping up in these areas already though, which as one of my favourite woodland plants, fills me with joy.

As ever, the garden team will be busy during May. We’ll be working hard to open up the Ancient Woodland area on the east side of the garden as a new place for our visitors to explore and enjoy the fantastic plant collection we have here. We’ll also be continuing our work to make the Pinetum more of a destination by clearing paths to the specimen conifers, removing old tree guards and identifying and labelling some of the important trees here.

Turf care will also continue in May. Mowing and edging will properly start in earnest, but we’ll also be nursing our reseeded areas near Crystal Palace and the Engine House through the upcoming drier conditions. We also plan to re-turf the lawn to the south of the mansion where the large events marquee has been removed in the latest step to really improve the grassed areas here at Leonardslee. Other key jobs will include growing microgreens and edible flowers for use in the Interlude kitchens, restorative pruning on some of our Rhododedrons and Camellias that need some TLC after flowering and continuing our phased stone work and path improvements around the garden in areas such as around the Rock Garden and down at the Engine House.

In the last couple of months I’ve been pleased to promote Andy Gorman-Strong to Assistant Head Gardener here and Elliot Dowding from Apprentice to full time gardener. We also welcome Claire Steer to join the team in a Facilities Gardener role this month. She will be a welcome addition to our fantastic team of dedicated gardeners here.

Enjoy all that the garden and its plants have to offer this month, and feel free to ask us any questions if you spot us during your visit.

Jamie Harris, Head Gardener