Ashwood Helleborus Tour 2013
By naoto
14 comments
I went up to Ashwood Nurseries to join the hellebours tour again this year.
Snow was still there and the road was very slippery – obviously much colder than London!
The tour guide was different from last year, but he spoke quite slowly so I could catch what he said easily this time (by the way, I am Japanese) He led us to the greenhouse where they breed hellebours and told us the history of hellebours, Ashwood Nurseries, how to propagate and breed etc…..
This place is so called “tunnel” and they prepare which helleborus they sell for mail orders and at the shop.
Pink Ice (Hybrid niger x thibetanus)
Penny’s Pink
Anna’s Red
We could purchase some special helleborus they select in this tent (i.e. some limited editions, stock helleborus from last year….)
This is their alpine house – While I was there, variety of cyclamens, hepaticas and galanthus were available. I drooled over the snowdrop called “Galanthus Diggory (the last picture)”.
After the lecture by Mr. Massey – the founder of Ashwood, kindly let us in his garden, so we strolled there for a while.
I really enjoyed the tour and his lecture & garden. I’d highly recommend you go there if you’re interested in helleborus and other winter blooming plants.
27 Jan, 2013
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Comments
Wow amazing thank you for the tour Naoto.
27 Jan, 2013
Oooh - I'd love to go! Lucky you! Funnily enough, I've just bought 'Penny's Pink' and resisted buying 'Anna's Red'...though it was very tempting.
27 Jan, 2013
Thank you for the blog.
That compost looks interesting, seems to be mostly humus, did he give you the recipe?
28 Jan, 2013
I want all of them :)
28 Jan, 2013
i hvae a lemon one from an ashwood parent plant. so dont know what its called.
28 Jan, 2013
Love the 'penny's pink' very striking. Mine aren't doing much this year..
28 Jan, 2013
Oh my!!!!!!! they are so on my wanted list,thankyou for sharing......
28 Jan, 2013
Thank you very much for your all comments. I'd recommend you go and join the tour if you can (the next one will be held in Feb.)
@Dianebulley
I noticed that they were using Levington compost for potting, but I didn't see the name of the brand for the garden compost - they kinda use "soil improver" for mulching (and pine needles as well)
28 Jan, 2013
Lucky you, saw it was open (In the Telegraph) our favourite nursery in the whole of England, the majority of our plants come from this beautiful nursery.... we lived 15 mins away, so spent every Sunday morning there.
John Massey is a very well respected plantman.
29 Jan, 2013
I've just read an article about him, and photos of his private garden. :-)
31 Jan, 2013
A lovely man and very dedicated to his profession, you would love the garden it is so beautiful, and of course has the perfect setting, like yours B.......I You have some good news I gather re the building project?
6 Feb, 2013
It's all stopped for the moment, Dd. Our builder had a long-standing booking for the whole of this week, so we're twiddling our thumbs until he comes back - next week. The wooden floors are finished, though they're covered up with dust sheets because the walls and ceilings all have to be painted.
6 Feb, 2013
Thanks for the tour really enjoyed it, I'm going to have a look at their website right now.
21 Feb, 2014
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Oh I want I want I want..... Aren't they beautiful. Never seen a blue one before(By the way, if you put your county in your profile instead of Somewhere in England it helps people to give you better advice when you need it!)
27 Jan, 2013