Yearly Improving Tulip Spectacle at Forde Abbey
In the picturesque town of Chard, Somerset, Forde Abbey's gardens are a spectacle of springtime colours and contrasts. Open daily from 10am-4pm, these enchanting gardens welcome visitors for a £15 admission fee.
The gardens, located just outside the walled garden and nursery, are a harmonious blend of old and new, history and progress. One such combination can be found in the borders, where the prolific drumstick allium, Allium sphaerocephalon, creates a striking contrast with the deep-jewel tones of wallflower Erysimum cheiri 'Blood Red'.
The Mediterranean spurge, Euphorbia characias subsp. wulfenii, adds a burst of acid-green flowers to the bright spring palette, while the informal and cheerful atmosphere is further enhanced by diverse foliage of lupins, lilies, Sisyrinchium, and comfrey, providing a foil and some shelter for the bulbs.
A cacophonous, spring mood board of sugary pink, butter yellow, deep orange, and brilliant-white tulip 'Clearwater' can be enjoyed from a distance, creating a stunning backdrop. The borders also feature the tulip combination of 'Apeldoorn Elite', 'Golden Apeldoorn', 'Apeldoorn', and 'Île de France'.
The fresh and reliable white 'Maureen' connects with the cruciform blooms of white-flowering honesty (Lunaria annua). Among the drifts of tulips are generous groupings of Narcissus 'Geranium', an award-winning Tazetta daffodil.
The borders also contain dome-trained roses and robust, architectural perennials, such as Verbascum olympicum, whose broad, felty rosettes punctuate the flow of the border. 'Daydream', a fragrant Darwin Hybrid, is planted with pink 'Mistress' and lily-flowered 'Ballerina'.
Forde Abbey's gardens also hold a secret - an unknown seedling transplanted some years ago, which speaks volumes of the nurturing spirit of this progressive, historic garden. There is no detailed public information about this mysterious seedling, nor about the person who planted it.
The gardens are maintained with care, with the borders being 'mow mulched' with a hand flail mower in late autumn. Forde Abbey's address is Forde Abbey, Chard, Somerset TA20 4LU. For more information, visit their website at fordeabbey.co.uk or call them at 01460 220231.
Visiting Forde Abbey's gardens is an experience not to be missed, offering a riot of colour, fragrance, and history in the heart of Somerset.
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