Seasons at Waterperry - Summer
Summer at Waterperry starts with the fine display of flowering trees and shrubs thanks to crab apple blossom, late-flowering cherries, lilac and Viburnum. By midsummer there's no let up - the display continues with a fine effort by Philadelphus, Wiegela and kolkwitzia.
This is the time when perennial borders look their best - not least our 200ft herbaceous border, which provides a flush of colour from the first lupins in May, through to the Delphiniums, Anchusa, Geraniums and Veronica. There's no better time to see the border than in early June.
Meanwhile the more informal, island beds offer a fabulous mix of shades of blue, pink and yellow with their less fussy perennials.
A semi-shaded border is a mixed planting of shrubs and shade-tolerant plants such as Hostas, Ferns, Geraniums and Astrantia, but also contains a fine collection of more specialist plants.
Our nursery stock beds are a living catalogue of the perennials grown at Waterperry. In late May/early June the Iris, Geranium and Papaver look spectacular, and by July the grasses collection comes into its own, with the feathery flower heads contrasting with herbaceoous perenials such as Penstemon, Crocosmia and Coreopsis.
The formal knot garden is at its most spectacular in early summer when the Wisteria arbour is dripping with flowers which delicately scent the air. Later Cistus and old-fashioned roses and clematis provide a magnificent show.
In the alpine garden June is the best month for colour.
Helianthemum, alpine phlox, Campanula and Thymes form dense, vibrant
carpets of colour.
The waterlilly canal is a relatively new feature planted with a range of waterlily cultivars to demonstrate the variation of colour and sizes. Once the flowering begins, they continue to bloom for the rest of the season.
At the other end of the garden the colour borders are two long parallel beds of mixed planting with the colours phased and schemed so blues gradually fade to purples, reds then pinks.
On one side is our new feature “Yewhenge” – a ¾ scale representation of Stone Henge planted in yew. It's accurately laid out, so will mark the sunrise on each equinox.
The rose garden has been planted to represent the different types of
roses. Formal beds contain floribunda, hybrid tea and
groundcover roses, and old-fashioned and shrub roses are grown in
informal beds. The flower season is extended in the early part of the
year, with Paeonies and Iris providing some early colour.