Antony

As Antony has the National Collection of Day Lilies we thought we would go to see what they were looking like.  We were welcomed by the sight of some of these flowers just inside the entrance.

First we went into the summer garden, that was looking very colourful, although the colours of the plants seemed to be more muted than I remember from previous years.

The collection of day lilies were slightly past their best, no doubt because of the hot sunshine we have had lately, but they still gave a good display.

From the formal gardens of Antony House we walked through the grounds to Antony Woodland Garden.  It was pleasant to walk along the paths through shrubs, but there was not much woodland to give shade.  There was not any flowers out, except one flowering tree that was very beautiful.

Bluebells at Antony

Having been away for a hectic weekend we were tired and did not want to drive far or have an energetic walk.  Antony House was therefore and ideal place to visit as it is very close to Plymouth, on easy roads, and the walk around the Woodland Garden is a gentle pleasant stroll.

The gardens around Antony House are not that special or extensive, although the irises were out against  the walls or the Walled Garden.

There were lots of bluebells out in the Woodland Garden, some growing amongst the long grass were not very spectacular, but in places there were carpets of them.

There was also swathes of white wild garlic and many azaleas and rhododendrons giving bright patches of colour.

The Woodland Garden is a delightful place to stroll around in the spring and we felt refreshed by visiting it and enjoying the plant growing there.

Daffodils and camelias at Antony

Although in Cornwall, Antony House is very close to Plymouth, just a couple of miles from the Torpoint Ferry.  Unfortunately it is not open as much as other local National Trust property, but from Easter onwards we are able to visit so we took advantage of the Bank Holiday to drive there.

The formal gardens did not seem to be open, but there were lots of daffodils in the grounds surrounding the house, which brightened up a dull day.

Primroses were dotted around the grass and some camelias, although the magnolias were not yet in flower.
I was pleased to see that they had put name labels beside many of the trees and shrub.

At the bottom of the grounds you can walk through a gate to the Woodland Garden that is not owned by the National Trust, but is free to NT members on days that Antony House is open.  The daffodils continued at the top park of this garden, but the camelias were the most spectacular.  There were so many different colours and types. There are an incredible collection of camelias in this garden.   It was a pity that the cold weather had damaged many of the blooms.

Most of the magnolias were not in flower, but in a valley there was a group that were out and the blooms had not been damaged by the cold weather.