Planning a spring extravaganza

The garden team is busy clearing old flower beds and creating new ones in preparation for planting out our tulip extravaganza.

Some of the varieties are Rococo for the tropical borders, Dawin Hybrid for our mixed parterre section and Purple Flag for along the water rill, to name but a few. It won’t just be all about tulips, we are planting a substantial amount of other bulbs - Fritillaria Imperialis

(Crown Imperials), which will be planted in some rather unusual locations, they caused quite a stir this year and really add a regal touch to any garden.

To follow the Fritillaries we are adding to our stunning Allium collection, our Gladiator and Christophii gave a splendid display and they can be used in any garden.

In the Collector Earl’s Garden and hot borders you will find dahlia - ‘Bishop of Llandaff’ which is an old Victorian variety with dark bronze-green foliage and vibrant vermillion semi-double blooms.

We also have dahlia - ’David Howard’ which is very tall and has smoky dark foliage and contrasting rich orange flowers,

The Royal Horticultural Society has given it its prestigious Award of Garden Merit (AGM). Our dahlia – Swan Lake, found in our new herbaceous borders, have large subtle white petals giving a contrast to the other colourful plants.

The beauty of dahlias is that you don’t have to have a large garden you can plant them in pots and then use them as specimen cut flowers in your home.

Very little is known about the dahlia prior to the time of the Aztecs. It is said that the Aztecs used parts of the dahlia for food and medicines, due to the Spanish Conquest little information has remained.

In 1570 King Phillip II of Spain (Godfather to Saint Philip Howard of Arundel Castle) sent Francisco Hernandez to Mexico to study the natural resources of the country. In 1789, the director of the Botanical Garden at Mexico City sent dahlia plant parts to Antonio Jose Cavarilles, at the Royal Gardens of Madrid in Spain.

These seed and plant parts were sent throughout Europe in the early 1800s.

It is fascinating to think that over 400 years ago these plants were unknown and here we are today enjoying them in the gardens of Arundel Castle, a wonderful tribute.

We still have an abundance of vegetables and fruit still to look at within the organic kitchen garden as are harvest our bumper crop of apples and pears.

Remember we are only open until the end of October and still have a great deal for flower power and autumn colour on show.

A few tips from the castle garden team:

It is a good time of the year to look at the autumn colour of trees and shrubs to help you decide on what you would like to plant for future autumn colour in your garden.

Prepare your planting holes for new fruit trees to plant in November.

Pot up tender perennials, such as pelargoniums, and move them back into green houses or indoors.

Plant up your winter and spring bedding.

Lift and divide herbaceous plants.

Volunteers: if you have some time to spare and are interested in joining our garden volunteer team, then do get in touch by writing to me at the castle, our details can be found on www.arundelcastle.org or via email [email protected]

Happy Gardening!